Leather goods export rising in non-traditional markets

Shah Alam Nur Export order for leather goods in non-traditional markets is on the rise thanks to shifting of the buyers from China and India to Bangladesh. Industry insiders said they have been trying to expand their export market and getting good response from the new destinations. "Demand for Bangladeshi leather goods have been increasing in new destinations", Belal Hossain, former chairman of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather goods & Footwear Exporters' Association (BFLLFEA) told the FE. He said traditionally they are exporting to Italy, Belgium, France, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Spain, Poland, the UK and Germany. But now country's leather goods exporters are exploring new markets in South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Australia, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Russia and Turkey, he said. Managing director of Leatherex Footwear Industry Ltd Nazmul Hassan Sohail said for meeting the new buyers' demand country's leather goods makers and exporters have taken a move for major expansion of their units. He said leading footwear and leather goods manufacturers, including Apex-Adelchi Footwear Ltd, Jennys, Landmark, Leatherex, Bay Footwear and Picard Bangladesh, are increasing their production capacity by opening new factories and importing sophisticated machinery and latest technology. He said demand for Bangladeshi leather goods is increasing significantly to export markets especially to nontraditional ones. Director of Sonali Aansh Indutries Ltd Mahbubur Rahman Patwari said export order for high value leather products including trunks, suit-cases, handbags, shopping bags, belts, musical instrument cases, travelling bags, rucksacks, map-cases, cutlery cases and other conventional and non-conventional items are increasing to new market. He said Bangladeshi leather goods are available at competitive prices than that of China and India, so country's leather goods manufactures are receiving good response from Japan and EU countries. He said now country's leather goods manufactures are using modern technology and skilled manpower that is helping export growth of Bangladeshi leather goods. Meanwhile, footwear export recorded around 7.3 per cent growth in July-September of the current fiscal year (FY) 2013-14 compared to the same period of last year, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data shows. Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Dhaka Hides and Skin Ltd, Mohammad Rezaul Karim told the FE that the leather industry is ideally suited to Bangladesh with its abundance of labour and natural resources at internationally competitive rates. He said country's hides and skin have a good international reputation and the fast growing sector is leather products.