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Arifur Rahman Rabbi
Bangladesh Tanners Association fears that rawhide collection is likely to be 10-15 per cent less than the estimated target as the country has primarily witnessed less amount of sacrificed animals this year.
Typically, Eid-ul-Adha is the most productive time of the year for the leather industry as the majority of the annual yield of good quality rawhides and skins are collected during this period.
year, the target for collecting rawhides of cows, goats, sheep and buffaloes was estimated at around one crore pieces while 91 lakh animals were slaughtered on Eid-Ul-Adha, this year, according to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
Moreover, around 5-10 per cent rawhide may be wasted due to the unconsciousness while separating the skins and salting process.
“Around nine per cent of the targeted sacrificial animals still remain un-slaughtered, this year. Besides, another 5-10 per cent hide may also be wasted during collection and processing period, which may ultimately result in 10-15 per cent less collection,” said Mizanur Rahman, vice-chairman of the BTA while talking to The Business Post.
“The trading of hides will begin from Wednesday or Thursday when they usually set rawhide collection target growth by 8-10 per cent each year,” he said.
He further explained that there would be no problem with the less rawhide collection this year as 30 per cent of total hides collected last year still remained unsold.
Mohammad Shahin, owner of Shahin and Brothers, told The Business Post that the rawhide from this year sacrificial animals were yet to come to his warehouse as these were still under preservation process with salts.
“However, we hope that the rawhide selling to tannery owners will begin from Wednesday or Thursday next.”
“We have bought sacrificial animal’s rawhide with a cost of around Tk 600 to Tk 800.
“Apart from that, we have to count another cost of around Tk 300 to Tk 350 for this item. That’s how, the price of leather went up to Tk 900 to Tk 1050 each piece,’’ said another rawhide trader Erfan Uddin Sabu while talking to The Business Post
This year, the government fixed prices of salt-applied rawhide of cows at Tk 40-45 per sqft in Dhaka, up from Tk 35-40. Outside the capital, it is between Tk 33 and Tk 37 per sqft, up from Tk 28-32 last year.
The average rawhides of each cow are around 25 feet. As per the price fixed by the government, the price of leather is Tk 1,125. It can be more or less depending on the situation. We will sell it to tannery owners for some profit, said Erfan Uddin.
BTA’s General Secretary Shakhawat Ullah told The Business Post that leather prices have risen slightly in the international market over the past six months.
Meanwhile, the demand for leather is increasing in different countries of the world including Europe. As a result, the price of leather may increase this time than last time, he said.
Exports have been on the rise for the last six months as the situation has improved and If it continues, he hopes that their business will be much better next year.
Mizanur Rahman said the domestic demand for leather was not so much in the last one year due to the ongoing pandemic.
“However, the domestic demand is around 15-20 per cent at normal times while the rest is exported.”
“Although the overall export situation was worse last year, our exports have so far increased a bit over the last six months which is 15-18 per cent higher than the last year,’’ he added.
