The potential for leather manufacturing to promote US-Botswanan trade has been highlighted by the US Ambassador to the country.

Speaking last weekend as Guest of Honour at the Rotary Club of Lobatse, Ambassador Joseph Huggins said that along with agriculture and glass production, leather manufacturing offered one of the strongest opportunities to develop US-Botswanan trade.  

"Botswana exports some of the best beef in the world, but it sends its unprocessed hides to Italy,” the Ambassodor observed.  Why not process the hides into leather coats, purses, shoes and accessories?"

As part of the same effort, he called on Botswanan producers to encourage the  government to improve the transportation infrastructure of the Trans-Kgalagadi Corridor.

A workshop held last week on improving the quality of Botswanan hides attracted 91 smallholders and hides traders from six agricultural regions in the country.  Held at the National Veterinary Laboratory in Sebele, the seminar was chaired by Animal Health and Production director Mucus Chimbombi.

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