Downturn hampers Bangladesh leather sector
According to Bangladesh's Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), the country’s leather exports fell 10.4% to $210.8 million between July and December 2008 compared with $235.19 million during the same period in 2007. The fall has been attributed to a drop in finished leather exports, for which demand and sales have declined across the globe because of the recession.
The breakdown showed that exports of leather footwear rose 29.3% in value to $98.7 million compared with $76.3 million, while leather bag and purse exports rose 43.8% to $7.3 million from $5.05 million. However, finished leather exports fell 31.9% to $104.8 million in the July-December period compared with $153.8 million.
Bangladesh’s leather export target for the period July 2008 to June 2009 is $526.1 million compared with $462.8 million in the previous year.
