Paul Ockerse, Director Leather Park at Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), spoke at the Local Manufacturing Summit and said that work is currently ongoing on environmental compliance and sustainability.
He added that hides and skins are currently being exported in the raw (wet salted) but the new leather park will allow for them to be processed into finished leather and stimulate the leather industry in the country.
However, he highlighted a major challenge in the consistency of the size and weight of cattle in Botswana, which affects the consistency of the hide quality.
Work on the Lobatse Leather Park began in 2014 but progress stalled until Ockerse took over two years ago and made it a priority.
Source: The Projects Magazine
