Asmara, 27 April 2010 (Shabait) – The Cooperative Association of Tanners called on the general public to demonstrate proper handling of hides and skins in the view of the fact of that tannery products are important source of foreign currency earnings.

Stressing the need for living up to such responsibility so as to make the nation’s hides and skins products competitive in the world market, the Chairman of the Association, Mr. Semere Petros, said that tannery factories have introduced modern machineries and upgrading manpower so as to boost production.

Mr. Mengisteab Teklai, one of the shareholders of Dahlak Shoe Factory, on his part indicated that tannery production in Eritrea has high market demand, and that the factory has managed to export about 70,000 shoes through effectively competing with foreign factories.

Meanwhile, the manager of Asmara Tannery Factory, Mr. Michael Gebru, said that the factory has a capacity of producing about 3,000 hides and skins of sheep and goats, as well as about 500 related items of cattle.

The Tanners Cooperative Association was set up in 2001.