Africa-Press – Kenya. The Tanners Association of Kenya has urged the state to come up with laws that will help the leather industry address issues hurting the growth of the sector.
Speaking to the press on Thursday at the Reddamac Leather Company, the association chairman Robert Nzioka said that the process of initiating the policies had begun in the past years but later stalled.
“Though the Kenya Leather Development Council had initiated the process of getting some policies, we are aware that the process later stalled and we today urge the state to help us finalize them,” he said.
He pointed pour key police that have to have been finalized to make the leather industry vibrant.
Industry complaints to KRA are not addressed in time and stocks are held at the port waiting for testing. The industry is incurring heavy storage charges while forced to stop operations until the chemicals are released,” said the Nzioka.
The chairman pointed out issues of illegal hides and skins, ground dying and illegal exports following the reduction of export duty from Sh80 to Sh5o.
The challenges chairman said that some can be rectified by the livestock keepers.
“ Before the onset of ground drying and challenges of poor quality of locally produced hides, we dealt with poor animal husbandry and slaughter operations. Deliberate destruction has worsened the situation,” he said.
He faulted the remarks made by Mogotio Member of Parliament said that leather products are bought expensively from the people in Baringo and other areas and urged them to understand the issue.
“ It is unfortunate the MP can utter such remarks. We urge him to fast understand how this business operates before speaking. Most hides are of poor quality and the association has done everything to make traders in the field enjoy the business,” he said.
He thanked President William Ruto for his commitment to improving the leather industry.
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