Leather sector needs support

Wed, 05 Jul 2017 14:54:13 +0000

By SIABANA KELVIN

ZAMBIA has potential of becoming the market leader in the leather industry in the Southern African Region when the sector is properly supported by all stakeholders in the country.

According to some Iranians exhibiting at this year’s Zambia international Trade Fair in Ndola dealing in leather products, the country has potential to grow the leather industry with proper monitoring.

Masood Mamudhi, an Iranian is exhibiting at the Trade fair for first time said Zambia can do better in the leather industry because the country has upcoming players in the leather industry due to the favourable  environment in the sector.

Mr Mamudhi said that the farmers in Zambia rearing cattle in different parts of the country can contribute  positively to the growth of the leather industry in the country.

He said Zambia is the  only country in Africa which has a condusive atmosphere in almost every sector of the economy because the country is naturally blessed.

Mr Mamudhi said that he was overwhelmed with the way the leather products made in the Persian country were appreciated by different age groups of Zambians.

He said the leather industry if correctly utilised can help to grow the economy of the country which is largely dependent on the mining industry as the mainstay of the economy.

He said the leather industry was a lucrative sector as it can be evidenced in Iran where it is a  major industry in  that country and  in other parts of the middle east.

Mr Mamudhi told the Daily Nation in Ndola in an interview that the leather Industry in Zambia should be developed to international standards in order for players in the sector to compete favourably on a global level for  the development of country.

He has appealed to the  government and stakeholders in the country to lure investors in the leather industry especially from the middle east and other parts of the world for the sector to flourish to greater heights.