ADDIS ABABA- As the leather product export has experienced a slowdown Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI) is striving to surmount roadblocks. Birihanu Sirjabo Communication Directorawithin LIDI so disclosed, speaking to The Ethiopian Herald.
The export rate of leather products is not heartening. It has decreased when compared to same period last year. About 101.7 million US dollar has been collected within the past ten months. That is only about 46 percent of the set plan.
The formidable hurdle is the lack in quality of leathers. Still, quality problems related to hides and skins have not yet been solved. Dearth of foreign currency and proper application of salt are among the problems.
He added the drop being witnessed on Ethiopian leather products is also attributable to the downslide the global market experienced.
He noted the problem is also ascribable to lack of harmony among factories and supportive government bodies. For example, shoe companies’ relationship with leather companies is not strong. Such gaps lead to misreading of demand and supply. Hence, meeting set plans will be challenging.
As to the director, the institute supports the sector and the one thing it emphasizes on is consulting. In concert with stakeholders like Ministry of Agriculture, among others, it strives to control the problem on quality of leather. It is also strongly working with states and federal organizations.
The other task is conducting researches to upgrade the leathers worthiness addressing their quality problems. Promising researches at different layer are being conducted within the institute, he added.
To allow Ethiopian leather products elbow their ways through the global market, LIDI as well is clicking with Ethiopian embassies abroad in a bid to exchange market information, he further said.
Birihanu stated, changes are evidenced on Ethiopian leather product qualities but the international market is very vast. Our product are penetrating only some markets. So the institute is working with Ministry of Foreign Affairs to increase destination countries.
Adding, the institute builds the human resource of the sector churning out experts together with the Addis Ababa University, Wollo University, Bahir Dar University and other higher educational institutes. The sector needs to keep itself abreast with modern science and technology knowhow to rub shoulders with competitors in the international market. So, through creating relationship with foreign known research and education institutes, it is creating experts until PHD level. And it will continue strongly to get better effect and change will take shape in the sector.
The institute also works with different COMESA member countries for changing the status of leather products and as per their agreement, Ethiopia has great disposition towards working together.
The Ethiopian Herald, Sunday Edition, June 2/2019
BY GENET FEKADE
