Ethiopian Leather Industry to Earn $206 Million

The Ethiopian Leather Industries Association announced plans to obtain 206 million US dollars from the export of leather and leather products this budget year.

It is expected that the revenue will be raised from the export of finished and semi-processed leather products according to Abdisa Adugna Secretary General of the Ethiopian Leather Industries Association.

The revenue earned during this year is expected to increase by 102 million US dollars from the 104 million US dollars earned the previous fiscal period said Abdisa. The last fiscal year had shown an increase of 85% from the year just before it he noted.

In related news Pittards Ethiopia Tannery announced yesterday that it is ready to begin exporting 40,000 pairs of leather gloves per month to the US market.

The Tannery will start exporting the leather gloves as of next month according to the Managing Director J. Moriarty.
It is expected that the company will double its exports to 80,000 when it becomes fully operational in six months time said Moriarty. The Tannery employs 170 people at this time but will increase its workforce to 500 when its operating at full capacity.

Pittards example of exporting finished leather products versus the long established practice of exporting semi-finished leather products will take Ethiopia’s leather industry one step further according to Tadesse Haile State Minister for Industry.

The leather exports will also be a source of foreign currency and opportunity of technology transfer for the sector said Tadesse.

Source: Ethiopia Press Agency