In order to promote investments in leather manufacturing a new association has been created. The Leather Apex Society of Kenya (LAS) will also seek export markets for Kenya-branded products.
Secretary of the association Beatrice Mwasi announced the entire leather value chain had been activated to support full commercialisation with an emphasis on value addition.
“We have adequate livestock to support the sector but we need to reverse the 90% export of semi-processed leather and turn this into export of finished products, hence more jobs and the establishment of more enterprises,” she said. Last year, Kenya exported semi-processed leather worth nearly £38 million, up from £35 million in 2016.
Speaking in Nairobi, leather product manufacturers asked the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) to enforce proper standardised checks on imports and ensure that only genuine leather is passed on to buyers.
