China leather exports go from strength to strength in 2000
The country's main trading partners in the leather business are Korea, Taiwan, Italy, Australia and the US. Results for 2000 show that China's exports experienced a 20% rise in terms of US dollar value to $11.77 billion. From this total, leather shoes accounted for $4.37 billion, up 10%, while travelling goods and leather cases were up 14% to $2.85 billion. The biggest increase was seen in the leather garments sector. Here, exports were up 53% to $1.85 billion, with leather glove exports alone increasing by 38% to $590 million.
China’s leather imports in 2000 were up 23% to $3.26 billion compared with 1999. Most of that total was made up of the import of part and fully finished leather, up 26% to $2.48 billion, but there were also strong increases in the import of leather garments - up 61% to $0.98 million - and shoes - up 42% to $21.09 million.
Nevertheless, the amounts involved were significantly smaller than the country's exports. The CLIA predicts that demand for quality crude hide and finished leather, shoe materials and metal accessories will all go on increasing. The association also forecasts that domestic demand for higher-grade products such as leather shoes will increase as the country's economy matures.
