Leather players flag tariffs issues at meeting with Parl panel

New Delhi: Leather sector players on Wednesday met the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce in Chennai and flagged issues arising from high US tariffs, industry officials said.

The delegation comprised PR Aqeel Ahmed, Former Chairman, Council for Leather Exports (CLE); Abdul Wahab, Regional Chairman, CLE; and R Selvam, Executive Director of the council.

The officials said that the 50 per cent tariffs imposed by the US is hurting the exports.

Higher US tariffs have adversely impacted the competitiveness of Indian leather exports in the US market, which is one of India’s key export destinations for them.

The industry representatives emphasized that the Indian leather sector supports a large workforce, including women and marginalized sections, and that prolonged trade disruptions could have serious socio-economic consequences.

The need for addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers through appropriate bilateral engagements was underscored, one of the officials said.

The delegation also requested the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce to consider taking up the issues related to US tariffs at appropriate policy and diplomatic levels, extending necessary support measures to exporters, and facilitating diversification of export

markets to reduce vulnerability arising from trade uncertainties.