Leather / Leather Product Industry

INTRODUCTION

     The leather Industry in India has tended to grow in clusters. Substantial percentage of       hides and skins processed in India were converted in to pickled hide and skins  or Semi-Processed leathers, partially converted into finished leather by some units.  In the course of time, The clusters in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (UP),West Bengal and other states started to grow in size which includes units in Hyderabad, Vizianagaram, and Warangal in Andhra Pradesh, Dindigul, Trichy, Erode, Vaniyambadi, Ambur, Pernambut, Ranipet in Tamil Nadu, Kanpur, Unnoa, Lucknow and Agra in UP and Jalandhar in Punjab. Some of these Clusters Boast of finest Tanneries  and manufacturing units. During the eighties downstream processing facilities for manufacture of a variety of leather products, particularly footwear components, Garments and leather goods started growing around these locations.

Leather product / leather industry in India is spread over organized as well as unorganized sector. The small scale, cottage and artisan sectors account for over 90% of the total production. Though traditionally the Indian leather industry has been an exporter of tanned hides and skins, in the early seventies becoming a major player in the leather products segments. The industry uses primarily indigenous  natural resources with Imports. Recognizing the need for proper development and promotion of export  trade by adoption the export policy resolutions, the Indian leather leather Industry has created a strong manufacturing base in the country during the last four decades and has now reached a prominent position. The leather Industry in India is mainly concentrated in four states Namely Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Leather sector is basically in small and medium enterprineneuers and links the weaker sections of the society TI Economics and Industrial activities. Recognizing the need fort proper development of the leather sector with the advancement in Technology, Phenomenal Transformation took place and contributed to the economic growth and Increased in Emploument opportunities in India. The government of India also helped the leather sector, the Planning Commission of India constituted a Working Group on Leather and Leather Products / Industry in every Five Year Plan.

The Government of India has formulated schemes for development of leather and leather products and has sanctioned 65 million US$ for up gradation and modernization of the tanneries and Leather Product Units including Effluent Treatment plants to be on par with world class production standards with the help of GOI , the modernization and up gradation constitutes.