Leather industry players have raised alarm over the increase in fake leather products in the country, saying it has killed the once vibrant business.
Leather Tanners Association chairman Robert Njoka said consumers are preferring cheaper plastic products, which are mostly imported, to pure leather items made locally.
“We have a leather industry that has not been utilised. Raw materials for manufacturin are our biggest challenge but we are doing what we can to reduce the infiltration of fake products,” he said during the launch of the national leather apex yesterday.
He said up to 40 million leather items are imported yearly from Europe, and emphasized the importance of using local resources.
“Rwanda, for instance, has banned the importation of leather products. I urge the state to do the same,” he said.
Industrialisation PS Betty Maina urged the leather tanners to work together and support the presidential directive to procure military boots from local producers.
She said stakeholders in the leather industry should work together in developing livestock policies.
“We, as government, are reviving all industries with value added materials and the stakeholders need to collaborate with us in achieving success,” she said.
Currently, only two of the 16 leather tanneries are locally owned.
She told tanners to produce high quality hide and skins for local and international markets.
The tanners were urged to develop policies and consensus to spur value addition on hides and skins. The government is also looking for ways to enhance capacity of the Kenya Leather Development Council for investment.
Last year, the government set aside some Sh1 billion for the building of a leather treatment facility.
