Ugandan People Think That Domestic Leather Is Too Poor To Prefer Imported Products.

After inspecting the leather industry in Uganda, Pulos said that many people in Uganda prefer to import leather products or domestic ones, and think that the quality of domestic products is too poor. Emanuel, coordinator of Uganda leather and associated Industry Association (Emmanuel), said that the shortage of raw materials in leather production in Uganda seriously hampered the development of leather industry in China.

　　 Uganda There are 7 medium-sized tanneries and some small leather factories, but these tanneries do not have the ability to produce finished leather, but only make the raw leather into wet blue. Only the semi-finished products can be exported to other countries to get the finished leather. This seriously restricts the development of leather industry in China, and some local factories can not use by-products for other purposes.

He also mentioned that the establishment of finished leather processing plants in Uganda can not only increase the output of leather products, but also provide employment opportunities for the younger generation. We should not just stay in the wet blue processing stage, and we need to build more finished leather processing plants, which will greatly increase the income of raw leather by-products.

Demand for leather products

Tom, general manager of shoemaking and handicrafts company in Crane, Kampala, estimated that Uganda bought 25 million pairs of shoes a year, of which only 1 million were made in China, and the rest came from imports. "In fact, leather can be obtained from fish, chickens, snakes and wild animals, such as some poultry goats, sheep and cattle," he said.

According to statistics from the Uganda Bureau of statistics, Uganda produces 1 million 400 thousand cowhide, 3 million 100 thousand goat skin and 680 thousand sheepskin each year. The actual utilization rate is 1 million 200 thousand raw skins, 2 million 400 thousand sheepskin and 580 thousand sheepskin each year. Most of the raw skins produced are exported in the form of raw materials or semi finished products.

In the five tanneries of Uganda, only the Jin Jia leather factory can produce processed leather into finished leather for local market. The other 4 tanneries, Skyfat tanneries, Novelty investment companies, Zhan Bu tanneries, and gang Bei fish tannery can only process raw skins to wet blue stage, and then export these semi-finished products.

Potential raw material Market

Raw skin - as Leatherwear The raw materials and by-products of the meat industry can come from urban or rural slaughterhouses. The current livestock stock in Uganda is 11 million 400 thousand cows, 3 million 400 thousand sheep and 12 million 400 thousand goats. The market utilization rate of cowhide is only 17%, and goat and sheep account for 30%. In fact, Uganda can actually use 1 million 900 thousand raw cowhide and 4 million 800 thousand goat and sheep skins each year.

　　 Environmental problems

Tanneries are accused of environmental pollution caused by the waste generated during the production process, partly due to the lack of sewage treatment plants such as turning waste into treasure, and in part because most tanneries are located in the heart of the city.

It is reported that Uganda will soon establish a leather wastewater treatment plant. Some of the leather will be processed into edible products, or it can be used in other industries, such as pharmaceuticals.

The main by-product of leather is collagen, which can be processed into food additives for yogurt, capsules, creams, sweets and all kinds of adhesives. Other leather products include leather Keychains, decorations, leather sandals, leather shoes, belts, leather bags and table mats.

　　 Tanner The treatment of waste water from animal skins can be used for the extraction of fertilizers.

Challenges of existence

Inadequate supply of electricity will also affect product production and trade income. The trade director of the Tsun Sheng bird tannery calls on Transmission Companies in Uganda to install direct lines to tanneries to reduce the energy consumption of current transportation. He also mentioned that the circuit load is too large, and the power supply for production and processing is insufficient and the utilization rate is too low.

Another big challenge is that butchers slaughtering technology is not high, skinning equipment is primitive, they use the kitchen knife to peeling, affecting the quality of raw skins.