Close to 85-90 percent of sheepskin produced in Iran are exported in semi-processed forms (rawhide and wet-blue), said a board member at Iran Tanners Association, Hassan Nassirian. “Semi-processed leather is widely exported to Italy, Pakistan, Turkey and China due mainly to low investment requirements and fast return on capital,” the official was quoted by ISNA as saying. Based on statistics published by the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad, Iran produces about 18 million pieces of sheepskin, eight million goatskin and 2.4 million hides of other animal, including cow, camel and ox every year. Most of the goatskin and cowhides produced in the country are consumed domestically, according to Nassirian. He complained about lack of suitable infrastructure in the country to turn the hides into quality leather and leather products, noting that most traders prefer exporting rawhide since leather manufacturing requires educated workforce, costly machinery and marketing of the products. Based on data provided by the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade, as many as 5,000-6,000 people are currently working in the tanning sector in Iran.
