Indian leather exports for the first eight months of the current financial year (April to November, 2006) totalled $1.9 billion, a 9.56% increase compared with $1.8 billion in the prior-year period. In rupee terms, exports rose 13.7% to Rs8.8 billion from Rs7.8 billion. Footwear exports increased from $626.54 million in the 2005 period to $752.14 million in the 2006 period, a 20% increase.

In regional terms, significant increases in exports were as follows: Italy (+40.85%), the UAE (+25.27%), the Netherlands (+23.03%), France (+17.61%), Denmark (+17.2%), Sweden (+13.58%), Germany (+11.74%) and Hong Kong (+3.82%).  

In response to these figures, the Indian Council for Leather Exports is confident that its $3 billion export target will be achieved by the end of the financial year.