Anand (name changed on request) supports his family of five by grazing leather in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur town. The finished leather is used to make Kolhapuri chappals, the famous handcrafted footwear. Fifty-year-old Anand is one of the 6,000 people employed by the industrial cluster for manufacturing Kolhapuri chappals. He has no skills other than readying leather for the traditional footwear.
With the ban on slaughter of cow, bull, bullock and buffalo in Maharashtra, the future of this hand-made footwear is in trouble. “We have to now get the leather from Chennai, which has increased our cost by 20-30 per cent. Also, the supply is not adequate. If this ban on slaughter continues in our state, we would be staring at a loss of Rs 1,000 crore in 2015-16,” says Ashok Shankar Gaikwad, president of Kolhapur Charmodyog Samuh. With an annual turnover of Rs 1,800 crore from the industrial cluster, a loss of Rs 1,000 crore could cause a huge dent and lead to mass unemployment of artisans.
There is a ban on cow and calf slaughter in Tamil Nadu, but killing economically worthless animals is still allowed. That has made Chennai the nearest point for supply of hide for the Kolhapuri chappal manufacturing cluster.
In fact, the Maharashtra government’s “beef ban” has impacted the entire leather industry in India, which sourced 40 per cent of bull hides produced in the state. According to M. Rafeeq Ahmed, president of All India Skin and Hide Tanners and Merchants Association and chairman of Council of Leather Exports, the ban has led to a hike in the price of leather products by about 5-7 per cent and brought down production. Ahmed says the leather industry mostly sources hide from Aurangabad, Kalyan (near Mumbai), and other places in Maharashtra after Punjab and Kolkata.
This story is from the November 02, 2015 edition of Businessworld.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 02, 2015 edition of Businessworld.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Powerful, Peculiar Perquisites
MOST COMPANIES recognise that people are key to their success. Competition is all about the war for talent. Higher compensations can, in many cases, attract that brilliant leader or the tech genius, but a competitor may well offer even more. This race is financially draining and not really a great strategy.
Shaping The Future Of India's Infrastructure
RUPEN PATEL on the achievements of the engineering and construction major including the iconic projects rendered by it, nation building, focus on sustainable practices and much more
WHY DON'T WE SUE BRITAIN?
I WAS WORKING ON my next column for BW – on one of my favourite themes like ‘Sustainability’, ‘Inclusivity’, ‘India Shining’ etc.
LIFE AND TIMES OF A MEDIA TITAN
DD Purkayastha's autobiography captures his 42-year tryst with the ABP Group, delving into various aspects of his professional and personal experiences, as well as insights into the factors that have shaped his character and career trajectory
THE SONET STRIKES BACK
The sub-4-metre SUV segment in India has been a battlefield for automakers, each vying for supremacy with their unique propositions. With the launch of 2024 Kia Sonet, the South Korean automaker is sharpening its edges in this competitive market
SLEEK, SUBTLE, COMPACT AND EASY TO CARRY
The HP Omen Transcend 14 targets a niche market that is growing day by day. Statistically, never in history, was there a better time to launch a gaming laptop, says Deep Majumdar
Geopolitical Resilience for Indian Companies
It's in crisis that inventiveness is born, as well as discoveries made and great strategies arise. He who overcomes crisis, overcomes himself, without getting overcome. - Albert Einstein
The Sourav Ganguly Era
Lessons in Leadership from Indian Cricket - 2
Leadership Challenges Were Not This Long, Before
LEADING IN TODAY’S dynamic environment presents unprecedented challenges. The list of challenges is never-ending. They include navigating complex decisions, staying resilient, inspiring teams, staying innovative, and continually adapting to the constantly changing ecosystem.
The Supreme Court Emerges as a Net Zero Polestar
'Dharma exists for the welfare of all beings. Hence, that by which the welfare of all living beings is sustained, that for sure is dharma,' - Mahabharata (Shanti Parva 109.10)