Low prices of rawhides disappoint traders

Rawhide traders across the country are dissatisfied with the prices this Eid which has continued the falling trend like in the last few years.

Like every year, the seasonal traders have collected rawhides and brought them to different temporary rawhide selling points in Dhaka where traders are buying those from them.

Rawhides are being sold at Tk500-Tk800.   

This year, the price of salted cow rawhide is fixed at Tk47-52 per sq ft in Dhaka and Tk40-44 outside Dhaka. Besides, the price of goat hide has been set at Tk18-20 per sq ft while it is Tk12-14 per sq ft for female goat hide across the country.

Last year, the price of salted cow rawhide was fixed at Tk40-45 per square foot in Dhaka and Tk33-37 per square foot outside of the capital. The price of goat hide was set at Tk15-17 per square foot.

Most traders at the City College haat expressed their dissatisfaction over the price of rawhides.

Seasonal trader Md Mizan from Siddiqia Madrasa at Mirpur's Kazipara has brought 27 rawhides which he was able to sell at an average of Tk800.

"The earning of Madrasas from donated rawhides during Eid-ul-Azha has declined drastically in recent years compared to earlier times, as a result of which these institutions are faced with heavy financial loss," he said. 

Meanwhile, merchant Abdul Rouf, an employee of SK Leathers, said that he has bought 42 rawhides at around Tk700-800.

According to him, 30% of the rawhides collected from wholesalers and seasonal traders go to waste as most of these are handled by unprofessional people who deal with post-sacrifice cattle management.  

Besides, the price of salt, the key raw material of the industry, has also gone up recently. All these have contributed to the falling offer price for rawhides.

Reportedly, the price of salt costing doubled the normal price in the past three months.

Md Sakhawat Ullah, Managing Director of Salma Tannery and General Secretary of Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), told The Business Standard that the rawhide collection target this year has been set at one crore which was around 82 lakh last year.

"For small-sized cows, tanneries are paying around Tk600 while for big cows the price ranges between Tk800 and Tk850 this year in Dhaka.  

BTA general secretary advised seasonal traders to sell the collected rawhides by this afternoon citing that the price will start to drop after sunset.

"In order to ensure a fair price for the rawhides, traders should complete the task before dusk," he remarked.