Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce has urged stakeholders in the leather industry to contribute to a comprehensive State of the Industry Report that will guide future industrial policies and support measures.
The call comes as the country’s leather sector continues its shift from raw hide exports to value added and design driven manufacturing under the Zimbabwe Leather Sector Strategy (2021–2030) according to Herald Online
Speaking during a virtual stakeholder consultative meeting for the leather and leather products value chain on Friday 29 May 2026, the Ministry’s Director for the Light Industry Department, Mrs Netai Magade, said the review of the sector’s performance during the first quarter of 2026 was important to address key strategic issues affecting the industry.
She said the Ministry is working on a Report on the State of the Industry and Prospects for 2027 focused on pathways for value addition, beneficiation and transformation across all industrial sub-sectors, including leather and leather products.
She also said the consultation would help stakeholders understand factors affecting production, productivity, market performance, supply dynamics and raw material availability within the leather sector.
She added that the Ministry also wants to assess investment developments, economic performance trends and the overall outlook of the industry.
The leather industry remains an important part of Zimbabwe’s economy and contributes significantly to GDP growth and employment creation.
She said the Government wants to unlock the sector’s full economic potential by understanding capacity utilisation, import requirements, operational challenges and the extent to which manufacturers rely on local or imported raw materials.
To support this process, the Ministry has partnered with Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) to conduct a comprehensive State of the Industry Survey covering performance, opportunities, challenges and investment prospects across key industrial sectors.
The survey findings will provide recommendations and sector specific insights to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and future industrial interventions.
For more details, read the full report on Herald Online
