Sheep nappa and cabretta continue to rule high at almost unchanged prices.There are reports of overseas business in some reputed marks goat upper leathers A/B/C at around $1.80 per square feet and lining leathers TR trade at around $0.70 per square feet. Some Italian buyers are prepared to buy any quantity if offered at lower prices. But tanners and exporters are not in a position to reduce their prices. However, some tanners who have stock of huge quantities with them, do sell them at low rates such as 50 or 55 cents per square feet to clear them.

Goat garment suedes are sold at around $1.50 and shoe suedes at around $1.30 per square feet. There are small but regular business of these items in some good marks. Some tanners offer goat mesh leather at around $0.45 per square feet.

In the present market, particularly in goat leathers, doing business is not routine but rare. Hence, uncertainity looms large and tanners are in a tight corner.

In the EI section, although tanners were ready to sell goat suedes at slightly lower prices, movements were slow. However, lower grade items like Rejection and Langda were in good demand and buyers from places like Calcutta paid even higher prices upto Rs 135 and Rs 115 per kg respectively. Demand for linings also continue at almost unchanged prices ie Rs 18.00, Rs 16.00 and Rs 14.00 per square feet respectively for A, B and C grades. Some book binders bought papery skins at around Rs 170.00 per kg.

Shoe manufacturers continue to operate in wetblue cow hides and goat skins at varying prices depending on the quality and selection particularly of Erode tanning. In Centres like Ambur, sales are slow with buyers reluctant to pay the asking and ruling prices of tanners.

Prices of raw skins and hides are almost unchanged everywhere.

The author is a Chennai-based leather industry analyst