Raw material quarantined
02/04/2008
Supply of imported raw material, destined for tanneries, has been halted in the state of Tamil Nadu in India, a key region for leather production in the country.
The All India Skin and Hide Tanners and Merchants Association (AISHTMA) has reported that the customs authorities have been refusing to clear wet blue and crust hides and have begun demanding quarantine certification for them.
Rafeeque Ahmed, president of AISHTMA, has been reported as saying the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service in the state capital, Chennai, recently wrote to the customs authorities to insist that the hides must carry this new level of certification before being able to enter Tamil Nadu.
Mr Ahmed said quarantine issues should not arise in the case of wet blue and crust because of the chemical treatment they have undergone; the certification should only be required raw skins and hides, he argued.
The annual imports of skin and hide through the port of Chennai are estimated to have a value of $250 million, with semi-processed leather constituting over 75% of this. Mr Ahmed said the new development is already threatening raw material supply.
Tanners and leathergoods manufacturers have approached the Central Leather Research Institute to ask for information supporting their position that semi-treated hides represent no hazard.
Mr Ahmed explained that one of the biggest and most immediate problems tanners face is that they are facing extra charges for delays at the port.
Quarantine officials have complained of a shortage of staff and say they lack the equipment and expertise to test the hides.
Indian media have reported the possibility of similar questions over hide imports arising in other parts of the country.
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