Leather industry is the second largest value added sector in Pakistan with annual export earning ofover $1billion, but theindustry is looking for its recognition as a viable sector in the country and abroad.The Pakistan Mega Leather Show 2015, funded by the European Union, is going to be held on March 6-8in Lahore.The programme is aimed at improving the overall value chain in the leather sector and introducing the Pakistani leather products to the international market. Leather is a vital sector of economy in Pakistan with over million individuals directly involved in the business. However, the country could not exploit the tremendous potential of the industry to grab lion share in the global market.
China exportedleather products worth $28.17 billion in 2007-08, India $4.87 billion,Bangladesh $0.379 billion and Pakistan $1.220 billion, but five years laterChina’s exports crossed $42.40 billion (50.51percent), India $5.90 billion (21.20percent), Bangladesh $1.30 billion (343percent) and Pakistani exports stood at $1.142 billion with a negative growth of -6.39 percentin 2012-13. There is a
Pakistan leather exports date back pre-independence era with traditions of producing quality leather. In the wake of incentives given by the European Union, the Pakistani leather industry has great chances of growth and potentials to seize the market. The leather industry also facilitate various other indigenous industries including leather garments, footwear and gloves and needs to include raw hides and skins in the sixth schedule of Sales Tax Act 1990 like raw cotton.
According to Bernard Francois, an official of the European Union, despite producing fine quality leather, Pakistan lags behind the other countries in the region and there is a need to make the leather sector more competitive in the international market. The views of a European Union official should not be ignored as it will be in the best interest of the country as well as the Western countries to use Pakistani products which are made of Halal animals. Despite various cultural and religious conflicts and contradictions between the Islamic and western traditions, the individuals in the west understand the utility of Halal skin and its impact on the general health of human beings. Therefore, it is in the interest of the human health as well as the national economy to promote the Pakistani leather industry. Trust of the European Union on Pakistani products is also appreciable.
