Huge opportunities exists in Ethiopia and Egypt for the Indian leather industry, says a 19-member delegation led by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), which was on a five-day tour to these two counties.
The CII along with the All India Skin & Hides Tanners and Merchants Association (Aishtma) and the Indian Finished Leather Manufacturers & Exporters Association (IFLMEA) had organised an Indian leather industry delegation visit to Ethiopia and Egypt, CII said in a release.
“Their visit achieved new relationships to create stronger ties with industry of Ethiopia and Egypt,” CII National Committee on Leather and Leather Products Chairman Habib Hussain said.
Indian Ambassador in Ethiopia Gurmeet Singh said: “Ethiopia provides a huge opportunity to Indian leather industry as it has good raw material and low labour costs. Indian industry needs to bring in the technology and capital.”
The delegation called on Ethiopia’s Minister for Trade and Industry Girma Birri and State Minister for Trade and Industry Tedesse Haile and visited various tanneries in and around Addis Ababa.
Aishtma President M Rafeeque Ahmed said Indian competence could create new possibilities for individual companies for either setting up manufacturing facilities or joint ventures in Ethiopia and to increase sourcing of leather from Egypt.
IFLMEA President Zackaria Sait said this visit would pave the way for new relationships between Indian industry and the leather sector of Ethiopia and Egypt.
The delegation had members from companies in the leather sector, including Farida Group, AV Thomas Group, KH Group, Orient Express, Tata International and RY Gaitonde & Co, the statement added.