The reduction of export duties brings Zimbabwe’s raw hides market back to life. The African government’s Finance Minsitry decided to lower the duties on raw hides’ exports in 2019, and, three months later, the first results are flowing in. Reneth Mano, member of the consulting council of Livestock and Meat Industry, explained to online portal newsday.co.zw, how “the decision is turning out to be very positive, because some small businesses started collaborations with South African, Chinese and other Asian countries’ tanneries, all very competitive on the international market in comparison to local ones”. The direct consequence of this measure will lead to an increase in the volume of raw hides exported between 2018 and 2019, while one of the areas that will decrease (for the better), is that of wasted hides. In the near future, explained Mano, “we will need to increase the number of livestock units”, but such actions will also need to include the quality of the leather put on the marketplace. The majority of hides, at the moment, come from adult animals and their hides have been ruined or scratched, causing the decrease in quality, “while the best ones are taken when the bovine is taken while in between 18 and 30 months of age”, concluded Mano.
Zimbabwe’s “discovery”: the leather segment gains from lower export duties (and reduces waste at the same time)
