DEPUTY CM CONFIDENT IILF WILL BOOST BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
DEPUTY CM CONFIDENT IILF WILL BOOST BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
The 34th edition of India International Leather Fair (IILF’19) began today with a Big Bang. The three day fair is being organized by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) in association with Council for Leather Exports (CLE).
Thiru O. Panneerselvam, Deputy Chief Minister, Govt. of Tamil Nadu inaugurated the IILF 2019 (February 1 – 3, 2019) today at Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam, Chennai. While complimenting ITPO, CLE and other Apex trade and industry bodies for organizing this specialized Trade Show, he indicated that leather and leather product industry is one of the oldest manufacturing industries in Tamil Nadu which provides employment to about 2.5 million people in the country and about 46% of the production in the sector, is exported. He further indicated that with Rs.10,000 crore export earnings each year, it is one of India’s top export earning industries. He also added that the State contributes 70 per cent of the leather product output and 40% of the leather exports of the country. While Chennai, Ambur, Ranipet, Trichy etc are among major leather centres in Tamil Nadu, he said the state government will continue to render required support to the industry.
Hon’ble Commerce & Industry Minister, Govt. of India, Shri Suresh Prabhu in his message has expressed his happiness that India’s leather sector produces 2.5 million sq.ft. of leather and accounts for 13 per cent of global leather production: manufacturers products worth $18 billion.
Present on the occasion were Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Tamil Nadu, Thiru M.C. Sampath as well as the Hon’ble Minister for Environment, Tamil Nadu, Thiru K.C. Karuppannan, Shri Deepak Kumar, IAS, Executive Director, ITPO, Shri P.R. Aqeel Ahmed, Chairman, CLE, Dr. Francesco Pensebebe, Italian Trade Commissioner, Shri Anil Agarwal, Joint Secretary, DIPP, Shri Sanjay Leeka, Vice Chairman, CLE, Shri R. Selvam, IAS, Executive Director, CLE, and Shri Visagan, Executive Director, TIDCO, alongwith the captains of Indian Leather Industry and other dignitaries along with press and media.
In his welcome address Shri Deepak Kumar, IAS, Executive Director, ITPO highlighted the salient features of the fair. He informed that though IILF 2019 covered an area of 10,000 sq. mtrs. but still several companies are not able to participate in IILF 2019 due to space constraints at Chennai Trade Centre. He assured that in future such events will be organized with enhanced scale and stature once the exhibition complex is expanded by TNTPO with the support of the State Government.
Shri Deepak Kumar further indicated that IILF 2019 will feature a wide range of products, machinery and equipment from over 450 companies from India and abroad, while more than 150 exhibitors are taking part from overseas. ED, ITPO further informed that this year, the Theme Pavilion is ‘Greening the Leather’ which is being jointly set up by ITPO, CLE, CSIR and CLRI which will present “Spring Summer 2020”. This year, the fair will also manifests its commitment to various initiatives taken by the Government and Industry such as ‘Make in India’, ‘Digital India’, and ‘Swachh Bharat’.
Shri P.R. Aqeel Ahmed, Chairman, Council for Leather Exports (CLE) said leather industry has a potential to make it big. It has seen a growth of 5.77 percent during April to November last year. He further added that he is very much confident that in the coming years it will see more growth.
Shri O. Pannerselvam, Deputy CM, Govt. of Tamil Nadu gave away awards to exporters involved in leather business in recognition of their performance in the business. He also released the fair directory of the leather fair, fact and figures book of CLE for 2019 and CLE member directory. Tamil Nadu Minister for Industries Shri M.C. Sampath, Tamil Nadu Environment Minister, Shri K C Karuppannan and Chairman of CLE also spoke on the occasion. Shri Israr Ahmed, Chairman, Southern Region of CLE proposed the vote of thanks.
The fair is open from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm daily from February 1-3, 2019. The tickets are available for sale @ Rs.250/- per visitor for non-business visitors at the entrance Gate (TNTPO) and registration counters at Hall 3A, Hall 1D and Convention Centre. There will be free entry for pre-registered visitors, foreign buyers/buying agents and visitors registering at the counters with ITPO‘s single-entry invite.
