Kanpur Dehat is surrounded by districts Kanpur Nagar, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Auraiya and Kannauj. River Yamuna divides Kanpur Dehat and Jalaun. The district name has been changed to Kanpur Dehat on 30/07/2012. Earlier Kanpur Dehat district was renamed as Ramabai Nagar on 1-7-2010. Initially this district was with Kanpur and then divided and got the name as Kanpur Dehat in year 1977. It has very large stretch of industrial belt starting from Rania to Jainpur.

Kanpur Divided into two districts namely Kanpur-Nagar and Kanpur-Dehat in year 1977. Reunited again in year 1979. Again, separated in year 1981. District was renamed as Ramabai Nagar by 1857/1-5-2010-114-2010-Ra0-5 dated 1-7-2010. The district has been renamed as Kanpur Dehat vide notification No.946/1-5-2012-123/2012-Rev.-5, dated July 30,2012.

Kanpur Dehat district is located in western part of Uttar Pradesh. Total area of Kanpur Dehat is 3021 sq. kms. The latitude of Kanpur Dehat is 250-26’ to 260-58’ north and longitude of Kanpur Dehat is 790-43’ to 800-34’ East. It is surrounded by Kanpur Nagar, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Etawah district. The headquarter of Kanpur Dehat district is at Mati on Kanpur – Jhansi Highway No.25.

The topography of Kanpur Dehat district comprises of two type of soil smooth &domat. Entire district has plain land and flow of water north west to south-east. The main rivers of district are Yamuna, Pandu and Rindh. The main source of living for the people of this district is agriculture. The main crops of the district are wheat, rice, maize, gram, mustard, bajra and jowar.

Repairing and servicing sector of MSME with780 units in the district is the most prominent and economy contributing sector of the district. It is followed by sectors such as “Agro/Food products”, “Misc. Manufacturing” and Rubber, Plastic and Petro based etc.

Out of total population of 17,97,184(2011 census), 6,28,864 are working population. Out of total working population,23.7% are working in other industries, 73% are cultivators and agricultural labourers and only 3.3% are household industry workers. This indicates that agriculture is the main source of income in the district.

Total Export from Kanpur Dehat District is INR 14,12,35,35,777 i.e., ~ 1412.35Cr.from September 2020 to November 2021.

In Kanpur Dehat, there are no specific clusters or pocket for leather product manufacturing. They are scattered in different small, segmented areas. In the cluster around 15 units are engaged in manufacturing variety of leather products. This industry employs around 1500 people in Kanpur Dehat District. This cluster has annual turnover of INR 350 Cr approx. out of which 200 Cr is exports and rest are domestic turnover.

Some of the industries in the district are AFPL Global Private Limited, Jama Corporation Private Limited, Clod 9 Exports Private Limited, Prachi Leathers, Tirubala Exports (Tannery) India Private Limited, Global Exports, Leayan Global Private Limited, R.S. International, Allied Leather International Private Limited, etc.

Types of Leather products manufactured in Kanpur Dehat district are footwear, saddlery, and leather. Approximately 50% of the finished leather produced is exported. The remainder is used to produce leather products in Kanpur or other Indian leather production centres. The cluster is comprised of finished leather making tanneries and final products made of that i.e., footwear, Leather Uppers, saddlery, and leather garments and goods.

Following are principal industry associations that are working for the development of leather products:
► Council for Leather Exports (CLE): CLE is an outfit of Ministry of Commerce & Industry, GoIhaving office in KLC Complex, Banthar, Unnao. It is a member-based organization, and its mandate is to provide support to its members for increasing export. The membership fee is being charged based on export turnover. Major services provided by them are: i. Dissemination of information related to export marketing ii. Organizing trade fairs and buyers & sellers meet iii. Marketing Development Assistance iv. Advocacy support

► Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur: It has a separate consultancy department catering to needs of SMEs created for providing services in Energy conservation methods, Market & Finance, Innovative Product Design, Packaging, IT applications, Application of Multimedia
► MSME- Development Institute (MSME- DI), Kanpur: MSME-DIs are the subordinate offices of Development Commissioner, MSME. These offices are responsible for assisting MSMEs financially through schemes and improving their technical skills through skill upgradation / training programmes.
► Indian Industries Association (IIA)
► Provincial Industries Association (PIA)
► Testing Lab at KLC Complex (Kanpur-Unnao Leather Cluster)
► MSDC (Multi Skill Development Centre)

The following table lists the HS codes under which the products are exported from the district:

Current Scenario The export scenario of India and Uttar Pradesh have been analysed basis the export statistics of HS code 640391 mentioned above under which Leather products- footwear are exported. Alongside are the key facts pertaining to the analysed product codes. ;

As various products are manufactured and sold under the Leather products category of Kanpur Dehat , in order to gauge our understanding of where India stands relative to the world on the trade of these products, each product has been delved into as a separate unit defined by its exports and imports in comparison to its competition and potential markets to target in the future.
Product HSN Code: 640391- Leather Footwear of Plastic and Synthetic Sole India's exports represent 6% of world exports for this product, ranking it number 5, behind Viet Nam, China, Italy, and Germany. The value of India’s exports over the last 5 years havedecreased by CAGR 2% with a sharp increase in 2019 and then a subsequent dip post that. As per data FY 2018-19 to 2020-21 for exports from the state of UP, it is observed that there has been decreased by CAGR 9.64%, with a similarly sharp increase in 2018-19 which fell in the year post that. Countries to whom UP exports this product in HSN code -640391 are Spain, France, Germany, Saudi Arab, UK, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Nepal, Netherland, and Oman.

Product Diversification – The Industry may focus on export of value-added items like Mineral free leather i.e., to develop leather without using chrome or other mineral tanning agents. Leather industries need model such as waste to wealth, below table shows the waste to wealth model:

The emergence of Kanpur Dehat as a plastic products cluster makes district as emerging business hub for plastic sector.

The emergence of Kanpur Dehat as a plastic products cluster makes district as emerging business hub for plastic sector. The development of this cluster has been driven on account of the opportunities emerging from its proximity to Delhi. The units in district have subsequently proliferated by continuously reinventing their product portfolio. Indeed, Kanpur Dehat today is a hub of several plastic enterprises, manufacturing a wide range of plastic products: products such as HDEP Pipes, Boring Pipes, Sacks, Bags, Household items like bucket, mugs, chairs, packaging cans & ropes etc. Further, the overall industrial scenario of Kanpur Dehat reveals presence of no. of units engaged in other various significant clusters such as Aluminium utensils, food processing and agricultures based etc.“Plastic Products” is identified as second ODOP Product of Kanpur Dehat whereas “Aluminium utensils” was initially declared ODOP product for the district. It comprises of products covering more than 20 product codes.
This cluster is spread over an area covering 3,021 sq. km covering the entire district. The turnover of the plastic products industry from Kanpur Dehat is approx. Rs. 300 crores in the year 2019-2020 as per baseline study and further discussion with associations and DIEPC, Kanpur Dehat. The plastic industry provides employment to approx. 10,000 workers in the district. There are over 110 small and medium manufacturers and exporters in the area who are engaged in the production of variety of products and exporting to the markets in Australia, New Zealand, Nepal, Bhutan & Bangladesh through indirect route. Some of the industries in the district are A & C Braid & Rope Co. Pvt. Ltd., Kanpur PlasticPack , Aditya Flexipack Pvt. Ltd.etc.

The word plastic itself comes from the Greek word plastics, which means to be able to be shaped or moulded by heat. As we will see, shaping plastics by using heat is a basic part of nearly all plastics manufacturing processes. Like timbers, which is divided into hardwoods and softwoods, plastics is also divided into different categories:

► Natural Plastics - These are naturally occurring materials that can be said to be plastics because they can be shaped and moulded by heat. An example of this is amber, which is a form of fossilised pine tree resin and is often used in Jewellery manufacture.
► Semi synthetic Plastics - These are made from naturally occurring materials that have been modified or changed but mixing other materials with them. An example of this is cellulose acetate, which is a reaction of cellulose fibre and acetic acid and is used to make cinema film.
► Synthetic Plastics - These are materials that are derived from breaking down, or ’cracking’ carbon-based materials, usually crude oil, coal or gas, so that their molecular structure changes. This is generally done in petrochemical refineries under heat and pressure and is the first of the manufacturing processes that is required to produce most of our present day, commonly occurring plastics. Synthetic and semi synthetic plastics can be further divided into two other categories. These two categories are defined by the ways in which different plastics react when heated.
► Thermoplastics - These are plastics that can be softened and formed using heat, and when cool, will take up the shape that they have been formed into. But if heat is reapplied, they will soften again. Examples of thermoplastics are acrylic and styrene, probably the most common plastics found in school workshops. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS) are the other example of thermoplastic.
► Thermosetting Plastics - These are plastics that soften when heated, and can be moulded when soft, and when cool they will set into the moulded shape. But if heat is reapplied, they will not soften again, they are permanently in the shape that they have been moulded into. Examples of thermosetting plastics are polyester resins used in glass reinforced plastics work, and melamine formaldehyde used in the manufacture of Formica for kitchen work surfaces.

In Kanpur Dehat, key products manufactured under plastic product are Boring pipe, packing materials (Sacks), Household item like Tub, Bucket, chair, mug, Jerry Cans, storage drums & rope. Some of the units use virgin plastic grains as a raw material whereas few are using reprocessed grain (Waste/old plastic scrap/grain). Those who are using the reprocessed grain, their units are small, and the price of their finished products are low as quality of their material is inferior as compare to virgin material finished products. ;

Cluster Stakeholders (Plastic Products)

Following are main Industry Associations that are working for the development of Plastic products sector:
► Indian Industries Association (IIA)
► Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC)
► All India Manufacturers’ Organization (AIMO)
► Exporters Association
► Industrial Area Manufacturers’ Association (AIMA)
► The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM)
► Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
► Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) ;

Major highlights of India Export
► India exported plastics raw material worth US$ 352.04 million in July 2021, and the export during April 2021 to July 2021 was US$ 1.57 billion.
► The total plastics raw material export during April 2021 to August 2021 was US$ 1.57 billion.
► In FY21, India exported plastics raw material worth US$ 3.29 billion.
► The total plastic and linoleum export during April 2021 to August 2021 was US$ 4.15 billion and for the month of August 2021, it was US$ 754.37 million.
► The total plastic and linoleum export in FY21 was US$ 7.45 billion and for the month of March 2021, it was US$ 719.15 million.
► In FY20, plastic and linoleum export from India stood at US$ 7.55 billion.
► In FY21 export of plastic sheets, films, and plates stood at US$ 1.53 billion and packaging material was US$ 863.62 million.
► The Indian plastics industry produces and export a wide range of raw materials, plastic-moulded extruded goods, polyester films, moulded/ soft luggage items, writing instruments, plastic woven sacks and bags, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), leather cloth and sheeting, packaging, consumer goods, sanitary fittings, electrical accessories, laboratory/ medical surgical ware, tarpaulins, laminates, fishnets, travel ware, and others.
► The Indian plastics industry offer excellent potential in terms of capacity, infrastructure, and skilled manpower. It is supported by many polymer producers, plastic process machinery and mould manufacturers in the country.
► Among the industry’s major strengths is the availability of raw materials in the country. Thus, plastic processors do not have to depend on import. These raw materials, including polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and PVC, are manufactured domestically.
Major Highlights of UP Exports :
► Total Export from U.P. is 1843.38 Cr. In 2020-21.
► Total export from Kanpur Dehatis Rs. 40.00 Cr.
► Main item of export - P.P. woven Sacks/ F.I.B.C, P.P. woven Fabric and Multi filament yarn.
► P.P. Granules is the main raw material.
► Germany, USA, Spain, Italy, U.K., France, Canada, Netherland, Belgium, Chile, Israel and Malaysia are amongst prominent export destination from the district. HSN Code-391721- Rigid tubes, pipes and hoses, of polymers of ethylene India’s exports represent 0.7% of world exports for this product & it’s ranking is number 29, behind Germany, Italy, China, UK & USA. While the value of India’s exports over the last 5 years has fluctuated but with an overall decrease by CAGR 1.49% , as per data FY F2015-16 to 2018-19 for exports from the state of UP, it is observed that there has been an increase. Being in the same region, India is primarily in competition with Italy, China, UK and USK who account for 11.8% ,8.6 %, 6.4%, and 5.9% of world exports for this product i.e., china nearly twelve times or more than India’s level of exports.

Product Diversification: This plays a vital role in any products exports as it is a product uplifting strategy. Most of the SMEs aren’t bothered about changing their product range and they fail to understand that it is an integral part of comprehensive marketing. Diversification can be brought in the cluster by:

► Development of new products: The SMEs of the district should be encouraged to diversify the product categories and adequate resources should be provided to make innovative products without losing the real essence of Kanpur Nagar plastic products. The SMEs going forward should focus on making products according to the need of the market,
► Modifications of Existing Products: It has also been found that most of the SMEs use traditional designs or those which was old by the time it arrived at Kanpur Nagar, they need to work according to the latest designs.