Chennai Leather Market - January 2018

CHENNAI LEAHER MARKET

V. M. Khaleelur Rahman

In the Chennai leather market activities were slow due to Christmas and New Year holidays. As usual big shoe and leather exporters operated in the market. They bought E.I. Tanned Goat Skins 5/6 sq. ft. Fifth at around Rs.75, Inf. Fifth at around Rs.65 and 4/6 sq. ft. R/V/IF/LIF combined at around Rs.60 per sq. ft. However quantities sold were not much.There was some demand for tanned goat shoe  suedes at around Rs.42 and garment suedes at around Rs.40 per sq. ft.  Rejection and Langda were slow in movements.

In raw skin centres throughout the country prices continue to be erratic and selling is not easy for goat as well as sheep skins. Only top grades were of interest to tanners at different prices depending on quality and selection. Generally speaking in Centres like Miraj raw goat skins were quoted at around Rs.150 whereas in other Centres like Hyderabad and Vijayawada the price was at around Rs.50 per piece. There were no takers for Rejections.

As far as export is concerned only reputed tanners were able to sell small quantities in 4/6 sq. ft. upper leathers at around US$ 2.20 and lining leathers at around US$ 1.65 per sq. ft.

Tanners and leather exporters feel and demand that there should be no restrictions on the export of any sort of skin in the present difficult times. In their opinion it is the only way to save the leather industry from further collapse. However exporters of leather products do not seem to endorse this stand except some.

Quotations are as follows:

E.I. Tanned Goat Skins

Grain selection : 5/7 sq. ft. Run/V Rs.90, V Rs.75, IF Rs.65 and LIF Rs.55

Suede selection: 5/6 sq. ft. Rs.43 and 4/6 sq. ft. Rs.41

Lining selection: 5/7 sq. ft. Rs.40 and 4/6 sq. ft. Rs.35

Mesh selection: 5/8 sq. ft. Rs.31,

all prices per sq.ft. 

Quotations of Exporters:

4/6 sq. ft. All Suede JY 190, LIF Suede JY 160 and Rejection Suede JY 110

6/9 sq. ft. All Suede JY 200, LIF Suede JY 170 and Rejection Suede JY 120 per sq. ft. 

                            S/C OR F/C GOAT LEATHERS

Material	Size/sq. ft.	Substance	Selection	Price US$ per sq. ft. C&F
Goat upper leather	4/7	0.6/0.8 mm	ABC	2.25
Goat milled leather	4/7	0.6/0.8 mm	TR-1	1.70
Goat suede leather	4/6	0.6/0.8 mm	All Suede	1.80
Goat lining leather	4/7	0.5/0.7 mm	TR-1	1.65
	6/9	0.6/0.8 mm	TR-1	1.75

                        F/C SHEEP LEATHERS

Material	Size/sq.ft.	Substance	Selection	Price US$ per sq. ft. C&F
Sheep Cabretta leather	4/7	0.6/0.8 mm	ABC	1.90
Sheep Cabretta leather	6/9	0.8/1.00 mm	ABC	2.00
Sheep lining leather	4/7 5/8	0.5/0.7 mm 0.6/0.8 mm	TR-1 TR-1	1.60 1.70

Overseas customers are very choosy in their operations. While European and Japanese importers are very slow in purchases, Chinese and Hong Kong buyers are somewhat active.  But prices available are low and unworkable to exporters. However it is expected that in the current year 2018 things would be better for tanners and exporters who are now struggling for survival.

(Writer’s e-mail id: vmk1234@yahoo.com)