NAIROBI, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is considering a raft of tax incentives to promote exports of value added leather products, a government official said on Monday.
Harry Kimutai, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Harry Kimutai, told journalists in Nairobi that currently the bulk of leather exports consist of raw and semi-processed leather products.
"We are going to zero-rate imports of tannery equipment so that there is expansion of leather manufacturing in the country," Kimutai said.
In order to expand local production, the ministry is also proposing to source all military boots for the country's disciplined forces domestically.
The East African nation already imposes 80 percent duty on exports of raw hides and skins in an effort to promote local value addition.
According to the ministry, animal resources contribute more than 12 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and employ 50 percent of the agricultural labor force.