Growth of Leather Industry 

Leather Industry occupies a prominent place in the industrial map of the country. India is the second largest producer of footwear, 2^nd largest exporter of Leather Garments, 5^th largest exporter of Leather Goods and 3^rdLargest Exporter of Saddlery and Harness items. Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra are major production and export centres of leather, leather products and footwear.  According to membership records of Council for Leather Exports (CLE), Uttar Pradesh contributed a share of 31.35% in total exports of leather, leather products and footwear from the country while Maharashtra contributed 2.28% during 2016-17.

As per information received from Council for Leather Exports (CLE), the manufacturing based export of leather, leather products and footwear from India increased from USD 5.65 billion in 2016-17 to USD 5.74 billion in 2017-18, growing by 1.65%. The exports showed decline of 9.84% and 3.56% in Dollar Terms during 2015-16 and 2016-17 respectively. However, during the current year, exports showed increase of 5.25% in rupee terms as compared to the same period last year are:

India’s Exports Leather and leather products – Value in US$ Mn

Products		2015-16		2016-17	2017-18		% change 2016-17		% change 2017-18
FINISHED LEATHER		1046.45		886.39	874.23		-15.30%		-1.37%
LEATHER FOOTWEAR		2147.98		2128.87	2193.61		-0.89%		3.04%
FOOTWEAR COMPONENTS		284.34		298.69	335.24		5.05%		12.24%
LEATHER GARMENTS		553.11		535.66	518.96		-3.15%		-3.12%
LEATHER GOODS		1370.04		1316.63	1365.33		-3.90%		3.70%
SADDLERY AND HARNESS		146.38		142.35	155.88		-2.75%		9.50%
NON-LEATHER FOOTWEAR		306.74		338.21	296.68		10.26%		-12.28%
TOTAL		5855.04		5646.8	5739.93		-3.56%		1.65%
Source : DGCI&S
	(Value in Million Rs)
	CATEGORY		APRIL –  OCTOBER			APRIL – OCTOBER		% VARIATION
			2017			2018
	FINISHED LEATHER		33924.05			32289.59		-4.82%
	LEATHER FOOTWEAR		81199.38			89474.92		10.19%
	FOOTWEAR COMPONENTS		12429.8			13598.43		9.40%
	LEATHER GARMENTS		20563.32			20477.74		-0.42%
	LEATHER GOODS		50951.05			55557.33		9.04%
	SADDLERY AND HARNESS		5848.60			6670.5		14.05%
	NON-LEATHER FOOTWEAR		12589.74			10860.91		-13.73%
	TOTAL		217505.94			228929.42		5.25%

 

The major reasons for the decline in exports are due to external factors namely recession in the major market of European Union (to which about 55% of exports are directed), instability in middle-east, stiff competition from Polyurethane Garments to the Leather Garments segment, decrease in demand of non-leather footwear in African countries due to emergence of production centres in those countries and competition from China and decrease in global imports of finished leather.

This information was given by the Minister of State of Commerce and Industry, C. R. Chaudhary, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.