Ramesh Juneja assumes charge as Chairman of Council for Leather Exports

New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) Apex body for leather exports, CLE, on Tuesday said Ramesh Juneja has assumed the charge as its Chairman.

He has replaced Kanpur-based exporter R K Jalan.

Juneja, who was earlier the

vice-chairman of the Council for Leather Exports (CLE), is the promoter of Kolkata-based JC Group.

During the April-November 2025 period, India’s leather and footwear exports stood at USD 3.3 million, registering a growth of around 1 per cent year-on-year.

India’s leather and footwear exports are largely concentrated in two major markets — the European Union (55 per cent) and the United States (22 per cent) — while the remaining 23 per cent is shipped to markets such as the UK, Australia, Canada, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Japan, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and countries in North Africa.

The country’s leather and footwear exports currently account for about 2.3 per cent of global imports of leather and footwear.

Global imports of leather and footwear during January-November 2025 are estimated at USD 244 billion, with the EU and the US being the largest importers, accounting for 40 per cent and 17 per cent of global imports, respectively.

“Looking ahead, CLE believes that securing bilateral trade agreements with the EU and the US could enable India’s leather and footwear exports to reach up to USD 14 billion over the next 3-5 years, from the current level of around USD 5.5 billion, including non-leather footwear and non-leather goods,” the council said. PTI RR HVA