CHENNAI LEATHER MARKET - MAY 2016

CHENNAI LEATHER MARKET

V. M. Khaleelur Rahman

Chennai leather market is slow. Exporters of leather and leather goods such as shoes and garments buy only some selected items of E.I. tanned goat skins as details given hereunder:

All Suedes 4/6 sq. ft. Rs. 47 and 5/7 sq. ft. Rs. 50 per sq. ft.

Heel grip 4/6 sq. ft. Rs. 37 and 5/7 sq. ft. Rs. 38 per sq. ft. 

Grain selection R/V/IF 4/6 sq. ft. Rs.60 and 5/8 sq. ft. Rs. 67 per sq. ft. 

As far as local items such as Rejection and Langda are concerned, demand is very limited. It is said that some business have been done in these items at lower prices. While Rejection has been sold at around Rs. 27 per sq. ft., Langda has fetched only at around Rs.160 per kg. Many big tanners are having stocks waiting for better prices to sell.

There are reports of raw goat skins being sold at around Rs.125 per piece (better selection) in centres like Nagpur, Kalyan etc. However in centres like Miraj where quality is much better, prices are at around Rs. 170 per piece.

E.I. Tanned and Wet Blue sheep skins are facing the impact of slow market very much. Only a few items are on the move at lower prices which tanners consider as most unworkable. Tanners with heavy stocks of sheep skins are incurring heavy losses. It seems that sheep tanners are the worst sufferers in the present situation.

Export Contracts

As usual some big and regular exporters have sold their Upper and Lining leathers at almost unchanged prices at around US $ 2.25 and 1.50 per sq. ft respectively. But small exporters are not able to sell in the present market as overseas customers are operating slowly and cautiously as market continues to be uncertain.

Exporters are offering at around the following prices for export

All Suede 5/7 sq. ft. JY 240 and 4/7 sq. ft. JY 230 per sq. ft. C&F by sea

Rejection Suede 4/7 sq. ft. JY 135 per sq. ft. C&F by sea

                                      S/C OR F/C GOAT LEATHERS

Material	Size/sq. ft.	Substance	Selection	Price US$ per sq. ft. C&F
Goat upper leather	3/5 or 4/7	0.6/0.8 mm	ABC/DE	2.25/1.75
Goat milled leather	4/7	0.6/0.8 mm	TR-1	1.70
Goat suede leather	4/7 5/8	0.6/0.8 mm 0.6/0.8 mm	All Suede	2.20 2.30
Goat lining leather	4/7	0.5/0.7 mm	TR-1/2/3	1.50
	6/9	0.6/0.8 mm	TR-1/2/3	1.60

                                                       

                                   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	2.35
Sheep Cabretta leather	6/9	0.8/1.00 mm	ABC	2.50
Sheep lining leather	4/7 5/9	0.5/0.7 mm 0.6/0.8 mm	TR-1 TR-1	1.60 1.70

Exports down

Mr. M. Rafeeque Ahmed, Chairman, Council for Leather Exports, has said that India could not reach the export target of US$6.25 billion in leather and leather products for the financial year 2015-16 due to various factors such as slowdown in China, weakening demand in euro zone, hike in duty tariff and recession.  

The total export of leather and leather products has been to the tune of US$5.92 billion during the year 2015-16 as against US$6.58 billion during the year 2014-15, marking a negative growth of about 10 per cent. However Mr. Rafeeque Ahmed felt that there will be a growth of at least 15 per cent in the current year

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

HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS TO JUSTICE BASHEER AHMED SAYEED COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

JBAS COLLEGE ACHIEVES "POTENTIAL FOR EXCELLENCE" STATUS

V. M. Khaleelur Rahman

It gives us great pleasure to know from Mr. Moosa Raza saheb, Chairman, The South India Education Trust (SIET), Chennai that the Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College for Women has been selected as a College with Potential for Excellence by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and that it will get a grant of Rs.1.5 crore for spending on research, infrastructure development and other activities. 

JBAS College is one of the seven arts and science colleges selected for the prestigious status in Tamil Nadu. 

The list of the seven colleges are as follows:

1. Madras Christian College, Chennai 2. DG Vaishnav College, Chennai 3. Stella Maris College, Chennai 4. Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College for Women, Chennai 5. Women's Christian College, Chennai 6. Vivekananda College, Madurai and 7.CMS College, Coimbatore. 

The Muslim community will be happy to know the achievement of the JBAS College which is the creation of the great reformer and educational visionary Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed saheb. He had to face many hardships in establishing this college. His strong determination and missionary zeal brought him success. His service to the educational uplift of the Muslim community is great. 

The JBAS College was and is even today an important instrument in making the Muslim community realize the importance of higher education for women. But for this College the educational advancement of the Muslim girls would not have been what it is today. 

Our hearty congratulations to the SIET Management, particularly its Chairman Mr. Moosa Raza saheb and all other office bearers, principals, teaching and non-teaching staff, students and their parents for the great success the College has achieved.

The Management would do well to establish a women’s hostel for the benefit of students who hail from different faraway places. It will attract more students and help them get higher education. 

Let us all pray and co-operate with the College to attain even greater success.

Success Story of a Handicapped Muslim girl

http://ummid.com/news/2016/April/03.04.2016/roshan-jahan-feleicitated-by-people-of-malegaon.html

Without legs, Hijabi and from Urdu medium -yet a doctor Roshan Jahan also has golden voice.
Zohair Mohammed Safwan Faizee, ummid.com

[Ex Mayor Tahera Rasheed felicitating Roshan Jahan as her mother Ansara Khatoon, ASP Sunil Kadasne (second from right) and MLA Asif Shaikh look on (ummid.com photo)] 

Malegaon: Having lost both legs in a train accident, facing acute poverty, studying in a Urdu medium school and belonging to a conservative Muslim family. She would not have needed any other excuse if she had decided to resign. Yet, fighting all odds and overcoming physical and language barrier, she cracked the MBBS exams and is now preparing for post-graduate entrance.

The inspiring story of Roshan Jahan, the 23-year-old Muslim girl who hit the headlines after passing this year's MBBS finals, was viral on all platforms - print and electronic media, internet and social networking sites, with each minute details, except for one thing that she also a golden voice.

Roshan Jahan was in Malegaon on Sunday when she left hundreds of students who had gathered at Zaini Basheer Hall mesmerised, and teary eyes, by singing in her golden voice a poem written and composed by herself.

The poem is dedicated to her mother, who Roshan Jahan said, deserved, after Allah the Almighty, all credits for her extraordinary success.

"It is because of my mother, after Allah, the Almighty and the most Merciful, that I am standing here in front of you as a role model", she said amid applause from hundreds of students.

She said after losing her both legs in the train accident, there were times, ample number of, when she had lost all hopes. But, it was her mother, she said, who enlightened hope every time she was in dismay.

"After I survived the train accident, my mother would say think over.... Think over why Allah, the Almighty, gifted you the 'second life'. It must be for something really very big. She used to say finding me in despair", she recalled.

Roshan Jahan's legs had to be amputated after she fell off a local train in October 2008 while travelling from Andheri to Jogeshwari. She wore prosthesis since April 2009. She was returning home after writing her college exam papers at Anjuman-i-Islam Girl's college, Bandra. When she neared the door at Andheri station, she could not control her balance and fell onto the tracks and her legs came under the moving train.

"I was in the first compartment when I fell off the train. I could see one of my legs completely damaged with the train running inches close to my body. I was screaming like any thing. But no one pulled the chain to stop the running train", she recalled.

Recounting her ordeal, she said, "Orthopedic surgeon Dr Sanjay Kantharia who operated on me helped me like I was his daughter. Even after the accident in 2008, I did not drop out and studied at home and appeared for exams.

"I cleared the state's medical entrance exam, MHCET, and was later asked to go for a medical test for the handicapped at JJ Hospital. The doctors there said that as per the rules, only students who had between 40% to 70% disability could be given admission in the MBBS course. I was denied admission as I had 88% disability."

She said Kantharia then suggested she move court.

"We met senior lawyer V P Patil, who took up my case for free. During the hearing I would go to the court with my relatives. Justice Shah, after hearing my petition and seeing me visiting the court, directed the college authorities to admit me," Roshan said while sharing her story at a felicitation program jointly organised by Muslim Reservation Forum (MRF), Falah-e-Ummat Trust and Malegaon Jamiat-e-Ulema.

The students were hooked up to her speech, with frequent clapping and applause. They gave standing ovation after she finished off her one and half hour speech.

(Courtesy: Ummid.com) 

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CHENNA LEATHER MARKET

V. M. Khaleelur Rahman

Chennai leather market is slowly improving. Exporters of leather and leather products are in the market covering their requirements. E.I. tanned and wet blue goat skins are in normal demand whereas sheep skins are slow in movements.  Tanners and traders believe that better days are ahead. 

E.I. Tanned Goat Skins

Local tanners are able to sell their tanned goat skins 4/7 sq. ft. Run/V/IF/LIF combined at around Rs. 80 per sq. ft. , Suedes at around Rs.54 and Linings at around Rs.50 per sq. ft. whereas local Rejection and Langda are sold at around Rs.30 and 25 per sq. ft respectively. But the demand for these local items are limited and not easily movable.

There are also reports of some business in tanned goat skins 4/7 sq. ft. Fifths and Inf. Fifths combined at around Rs. 70 and stout Suede at around 53 whereas H/G Suede at around Rs.43.

Raw Skins

In many centres the prices of raw goat skins are between Rs.140 and 160 per piece depending on quality and selection. Some tanners buy big and better selection skins paying higher prices.

Export Contracts

Some business have taken place for export to Italy and Hong Kong in Upper and Lining leathers at around US$ 2.30 and 1.50 per sq. ft. respectively in good marks.

Japanese customers are slow in doing business. Some small business have taken place in F/C sheep leather All Suede and Rejection at around JY 230 and 140 per sq. ft. respectively whereas S/C sheep leather All Suede has been sold at around JY 260.

Some leading tanners and exporters who made a business trip to Japan recently say that customers are slow in purchases as they are having enough stocks with them.

As far as footwear business is concerned, many leading exporters are able to get orders at considerably lower prices to keep their factories functioning in the present market situations.

Exporters are offering as follows for export:

F/C sheep suede leather

All Suede 5/7 sq. ft. JY245 and 4/7 sq. ft. JY235, per sq. ft. C&F by sea

Rejection Suede 6/8 sq. ft. JY150 and 4/7 sq. ft. JY140 per sq. ft. C&F by sea

Double Rejection Suede 4/7 sq. ft. JY120 per sq. ft. C&F. by sea

F/C sheep lining leather

TR-Lining 4/7 sq. ft. JY155 and 5/8 sq. ft. JY160 per sq. ft. C&F by sea

                                             S/C OR F/C GOAT LEATHERS

Material	Size/sq. ft.	Substance	Selection	Price US$ per sq. ft. C&F
Goat upper leather	3/5 or 4/7	0.6/0.8 mm	ABC/DE	2.30/1.80
Goat milled leather	4/7	0.6/0.8 mm	TR-1	1.70
Goat suede leather	4/7 5/8	0.6/0.8 mm 0.6/0.8 mm	All Suede	2.20 2.30
Goat lining leather	4/7	0.5/0.7 mm	TR-1/2/3	1.50
	6/9	0.6/0.8 mm	TR-1/2/3	1.60

                                                       

                                                                     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	2.40
Sheep Cabretta leather	6/9	0.8/1.00 mm	ABC	2.60
Sheep lining leather	4/7 5/9	0.5/0.7 mm 0.6/0.8 mm	TR-1 TR-1	1.60 1.70

The Hong Kong leather fair is to be held from 30^th March to 1^st April 2016. As it is one of the most important fairs, exporters are getting ready to participate in it with the hope of good results. Some Hong Kong customers who were inactive in the market for more than a year because of some problems they faced there are expected to restart their business during the fair.

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

PRIME MINISTER MR. NARENDRA MODI AT THE SUFI MEET

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/prime-minister-narendra-modi-at-world-sufi-forum/article8366628.ece?homepage=true

At Sufi meet, Modi lauds Islam as a religion of peace

VIKAS PATHAK

                           

Prime Minister being welcomed by AIUMB founder-president Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichuachwi at the inaugural ceremony of the World Sufi Forum in New Delhi on Thursday.

The Prime Minister quotes from Koran and makes a strong pitch against terrorism.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that all Indian communities were an integral part of India, making a pitch for pluralism and diversity.

Mr. Modi was addressing delegates of a global Sufi meet here at a time when shrill statements from many within the BJP and the Sangh Parivar have created controversies in the past few months.

Rejecting terrorism, Mr. Modi hailed Islam as a religion of peace, citing the Koran and also paying rich tributes to the eclecticism of the Sufi tradition.

“Welcome to a people with an abiding belief in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the world is one family,” Mr. Modi said. Mr. Modi said leaders like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad chose not to side with the idea of division based on religion after Independence.

“This is the spirit of India. This is the strength of our nation,” he said. “All our people, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, the micro-minority of Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India.”

He sought to draw a parallel between these values and his own policies, saying, “The values of harmony, welfare, compassion and love for human beings are the foundation of a just society. That is the principle behind my creed of Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas.”

The Prime Minister made a strong pitch against terrorism, underlining that “terrorism divides and destroys us”. “Indeed, when terrorism and extremism have become the most destructive force of our times, the message of Sufism has global relevance,” he said.

“Sufism is a celebration of diversity and pluralism, expressed in the words of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, that every people has its own path of truth, beliefs and focus of reverence. These words reflect the divine message of the Holy Prophet that there is no compulsion in religion; and also that to every people, we have appointed ways of worship which they observe,” Mr. Modi said amid applause.

In reading Islam as a religion of peace, the Prime Minister may, however, have broken with many Hindutva outfits that, academic studies have argued, have tended to highlight Islam as an “invader” in India.

The PM also saw the basic attributes of Sufism among Indian Muslims: “It is this spirit of Sufism, the love for their country and the pride in their nation that define the Muslims in India.”

“They are shaped by the values of the Islamic heritage of India. It upholds the highest ideals of Islam and has always rejected the forces of terrorism and extremism,” he said.

Underlining that Islam is a religion of peace, Mr. Modi said: “When we think of the 99 names of Allah, none stand for force and violence, and that the first two names denote compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and Raheem.”

While asserting that the fight against terror was not a fight against any religion but one between humanism and inhumanity, he hit out at terror as a threat to religion itself. “Terrorists distort a religion whose cause they profess to support. They kill and destroy more in their own land and among their own people than they do elsewhere. Those who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious.”

(Courtesy: The Hindu dated 18th March 2016)