Zambia’s leather exports triple

ZAMBIA’S leather exports have grown three-fold to US$10 million over the last few years, Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) director of export promotion and market development, Glyne Michelo has said. And Western Province Permanent Secretary Ikanuke Noyoo said the leather industry was faced with a number of challenges including inadequate expertise in leather processing and inferior technology.

Mr Michelo said in Lusaka yesterday the country’s leather exports had grown to $10 million in 2008 from a total of $3.5 million in 2003.
He said the major products exported from leather included crocodile skins, wet blue leather, crust and finished products such as footwear.

Key export markets for leather products included South Africa, Singapore, Democratic Republic of Congo, Japan, Hong Kong, Malawi and the United Kingdom. “You may also be aware that Zambia is currently producing soccer balls under the Alive and Kicking Project being undertaken in the country.

“I am reliably informed that the quality of the Zambian soccer balls is very competitive in this region, perhaps by the next World Cup, we can supply FIFA with balls made in Zambia,” Mr Michelo said at a leather sensitisation workshop hosted by ZDA.

On September 24, 2009, ZDA signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Ethiopia with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute known as COMESA LLPI to facilitate cooperation between the two organisations in the development of the leather industry in Zambia and the region.

Mr Michelo said ZDA organised the workshop to ensure that players in the industry were aware of the implementation framework available through the COMESA LLPI. The meeting was organised to engage the sector players and other stakeholders in the formulation of an implementation plan to ensure that the MOU achieved the set objectives.

At the same workshop, Mr Noyoo said inadequate supply of affordable capital to venture into production of finished goods had remained a challenge in the industry. Mr Noyoo, who led the delegation which went to sign the MOU in Ethiopia, said there was need for Zambian leather producers to learn lessons from their counterparts in Ethiopia.

Some of the lessons the delegation learnt while in Ethiopia included effective training of young people, use of goat skins, work culture, effective effluent disposal and encouraging foreign investors to produce finished goods.

Mr Noyoo said the Zambian leather industry would benefit from the exchange of experts and technology as well as participation in each other’s exhibitions and shows to share information.

[Times of Zambia]