CLIA said this was influenced by “a sluggish recovery of the global economy and political turmoil, as well as the increase in environmental protection”. The slower growth in production is said to be accompanied by a decline of exports, and growth in imports grew (up by 6.2% reaching a value of 4.45 billion US dollars).

"The leather industry in China came to the period of adjustment", explained CLIA's President Su Chaoying, adding that “such period will take about one or two years, with many small scale tanneries closed who failed to reach the new regulations of environment”.

Mr. Su added that the leather industry in China “make a huge contribution and play an important role in the early development of the national economy, but nowadays the industry is challenged by environmental protection, and weak demand in the internal market and strong competition in international market”.

Last week, CLIA has also announced that sales of shoes in China in the first half of 2014 increased in value by 9.6% year on year, reaching more than 50 billion US dollars.

According to the same source, exports of shoes during the six-month period had a volume of 5.3 billion pairs, an increase of approximately 0.2%, with its value increasing by 12.2% year on year, reaching 24.5 billion US dollars. CLIA confirmed that out of these total, 438 million pairs had leather uppers, with a value of 5.9 billion US dollars (up by 15% in volume and 19% in value).