Kunduz leather products’ makers complain about low sales

KUNDUZ (Pajhwok): Leather products’ makers in northern Kunduz province are concerned about the decline in sales, saying they have lost customers compared to the past.

They make products including women handbags, belts, knife covers, handgun holsters, horse bridles and some other items from domestically produced leather and imported leather, but these days they do not get any orders from customers.

Amanullah, one the leather products’ manufacturers, said that their products had many domestic and foreign customers in the past, but these days their products were not sold, something he called a huge challenge for their business.

He said: “We would produce over 3,000 bags and exported them to the United States. I innovated and designed huge leather bags. I was also making knife covers, which are now not sold at all”.

Najibullah is another leather products’ maker. He inherited the profession from his ancestors, who had been in this business since a hundred years.

He said: “I make horse bridals, pant belts, sport belts and others. We had some orders from Iran and Tajikistan”.

Shabir, another leather producer, said poverty and high raw material prices were main reasons behind their decreased sales.

Shabir said: “Our country imports some Pakistani leather, but the white leather is produced here in our country. Our market is down, the people were economically good in the past, they could buy things, but these days they only think about food”.

Commerce and Industry department head Mohammad Rahim Seerat said they were to resolve problems of all artisans and provide facilities to leather goods manufacturers.

He said: “We assure all handicraft producers that their problems will be resolved including the issue of raw materials”.

It is worth mentioning that leather products’ manufacturing is one of the historic professions like pottery, blacksmith and shoe making currently threatened by recession.

aw/ma

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