Leather exports rise 15%

% chg 20062007 Leather footwear197.35226.3114.68 Finished leather154.90187.0520.75 Leather goods incl saddlery155.19177.5914.43 Leather garments56.3462.8611.58 Footwear components46.5152.6313.15 Non-leather footwear7.448.3812.61 Source: Data based on CLE member reports  Finished leather exports increased 20.75 per cent to $187.05 million from $154.90 million, while export of leather goods, including saddlery and harnesses, increased 14.43 per cent to $177.59 million from $155.19 million posted during the first quarter of the previous financial year.  During the first quarter, leather garments posted growth of 11.58 per cent to $62.86 million from $56.34 million and export of footwear components stood at $52.63 million as against $46.51 million.  These figures are a compilation of export data based on CLE member reports. Official leather exports data for the first quarter of FY08 ending June 30 from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics (DGCI & S) is yet to be released.  According to earlier DGCI & S data, leather and leather products exports posted 8.33 per cent growth in dollar terms at $2.98 billion in 2006-07 as against $2.75 billion in 2005-06. In rupee terms, exports increased 10.72 per cent to Rs 13,492.44 crore in 2006-07 from Rs 12,186.28 crore in the previous year. Footwear accounted for $950.90 million out of total exports of $2.98 billion in 2006-07.