kolkata: West Bengal Livestock Development Corporation (WBLDC) is pitching for scientific processing of goat skin that can be used for manufacture of glace kid leather to cater to the huge demand in foreign countries.
“Skin of the Black Bengal goat can be used for the manufacture of best quality glace kid. However, this area is unexplored in Bengal, as a result of which the farmers associated with the rearing of goats are deprived of the value of goat skin. I will appeal to entrepreneurs to come forward for developing infrastructure for proper processing of goat skin and manufacture of glace kid so that it can be exported to the foreign countries,” Gouri Shankar Koner, Managing Director of WBLDC said on Friday while addressing an event — Global Trade Connect: Exporters Edition organised by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham).
Koner said that with proper processing of goat skin, the farmers will get value for it and this will contribute to the reduction of price of goat meat in the state. He regretted that goat skin from Bengal is being sent to Chennai where it is processed and glace kid is produced and then exported to foreign countries.
“We have such a huge production of goat meat so why not reap benefits of the huge export potential of glace kid? Any interested entrepreneur or startup can directly contact WBLDC for knowledge sharing and full technical support in this regard. I am hopeful that NABARD will offer some financial help too,” Koner said.
Koner also spoke about the state government’s Broiler Integration Programme which has emerged as a successful model for backward linkage. It allows farmers to raise broilers in just 30-35 days, benefiting around 1200 farmers who earn Rs 12,000 per month on 1-2 acres of land.
Perminder Jeet Kaur, Senior Director, ASSOCHAM East & Northeast, said that both offline and online buyers joined from Thailand, Indonesia, Bhutan, Bangladesh, African countries and Vietnam. “The buyers will be interacting with our exhibitors and sharing their thoughts on Indian products,” she added.