Kolkata leather units hit by US tariffs, eye UK and EU markets for relief

With US tariffs on leather products doubled to 50%, exporters in Kolkata face shrinking orders and margin pressure, while betting on UK and EU deals for recovery

Across four floors of a Kolkata leather factory, about 380 workers stitch and assemble handbags and wallets at a steady tempo. The pieces, many bearing the unmistakable ‘Boss’ logo, are neatly stacked in rows ready to move to the next table for another task -- the rhythm of work seemingly untouched by the US tariff-led disruption. 

 

The United States (US) – Crescent Exports’ biggest market – has raised tariffs to 50 per cent, a blow that has slowed the flow of orders. But for now, the bustle of the manufacturing unit spread across 85,000 square feet masks the uncertainty of shrinking