THERE ARE new regional trade opportunities in the leather sector for SA manufacturers and importers, according to Liz Whitehouse, of trade consultants Whitehouse & Associates.
"Exporters of leather," she told FTW, "from the southern African countries of Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe - along with major SA buyers - will gather in Johannesburg on June 12-13 to explore regional import/export opportunities in the leather sector."
This meeting forms part of the "Sub-regional Trade Expansion in Southern Africa" programme launched during 1998 by the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO (ITC).
Said Whitehouse: "It focuses on opportunities offered by the SA import market for products available in the sub-region. ITC has conducted extensive research on trade flows and has identified leather as one of the products having promising business potential."
SA's recent acceptance as a beneficiary country under the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) offers attractive opportunities in the US market for this country's ailing footwear industry, Whitehouse added.
"It will be in the position to favourably compete with non-African suppliers," she said. "The closing of tanneries in recent years, however, has left the footwear industry with a shortage of suitable leather inputs - which are still plentiful in neighbouring countries."
During 2000, SA's imports of hides, skins and leather amounted to R728.2-million (US$105-m) - of which only 2% originated in the countries of Southern Africa.
"Yet," said Whitehouse, "the countries of the region - excluding the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) - exported over US$14-m worth of these products to the rest of the world, which testifies to a considerable supply capacity.
"SA buyers could benefit from these sourcing opportunities."
The June meeting is the fourth buyers/sellers meeting organised in SA by the ITC under its sub-regional trade programme. The previous three meetings covered the SA import market for fish; wood and wood-based building materials; and exotic food and beverages.
AGOA offers attractive
options
