Exports of Finished, Wet Blue and EI Tanned Leather Allowed from All Ports

CLRI Testing and Certification Requirement Removed

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has issued a Notification No. 15/2025-26 dated May 26, 2026 removing key procedural restrictions applicable to the export of value-added leather products. This step is expected to reduce compliance burden and improve ease of doing business for exporters.

Port restrictions have been withdrawn, allowing export of Finished Leather, Wet Blue Leather, and EI Tanned Leather from any port or Inland Container Depot (ICD). Earlier, these exports were restricted to specific notified ports. The mandatory requirement for testing and certification by the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) for export of Finished Leather, Wet Blue Leather, Crust Leather, and EI Tanned Leather has also been dispensed with.

These procedural requirements were originally instituted to monitor export of value-added leather products and distinguish them from raw hides and dutiable items. However, with the removal of export duties on such leather categories and the clear physical distinction between processed and raw leather, the existing checks were considered redundant.

The decision follows consultations with stakeholders, including the Council for Leather Exports, Leather Exporters and Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI). It is expected to streamline export procedures, reduce transaction costs, and benefit MSME exporters in particular.

The reforms also support India’s efforts to enhance export competitiveness in the global leather value chain while maintaining transparency and quality standards under general customs provisions. For further details, please visit: https://dgft.gov.in

Export liberalisation for leather exporters permits shipments from any port and removes mandatory CLRI testing, easing compliance. DGFT notification abolishes port restrictions and removes mandatory CLRI certification for Finished Leather, Wet Blue Leather, Crust Leather and EI Tanned Leather, allowing exports from any port or Inland Container Depot and eliminating compulsory Central Leather Research Institute testing previously required to distinguish processed leather from raw hides and dutiable items.