A leading international leather consultant has called upon the Zambian government to help farmers produce better quality hides.

Jos Vogtander, who is on secondment to Lusaka’s Kembe Tanery under the European Union-funded Private Sector Development Programme (PSDP), said the traditional emphasis on maximizing the meat yield during flaying meant that most locally-produced hides were too thin to be of interest in the international marketplace. To rectify the situation, he urged the Ministry of Agriculture to mount an education campaign, aimed at showing farmers how they can produce hides to the correct thickness.  Combined with better animal husbandry, this would help the country’s tanners while adding value to the animal.

Mr Vogtander was speaking on the occasion of the visit to the tannery by European Commission Head of Delegation Henry Sprietsma, who was there to see the outcome of the $3 million of private money so far invested in machinery and civil works at the facility. The PSDP provided support in the way of technical assistance by seconding two consultants to the project for a short period. Currently, 90% of Kembe Tannery’s monthly output of 20,000 to 30,000 square metres goes to export.

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