5.76m rawhides preserved

More than 5.76 million pieces of cattle hides have been preserved across Dhaka and other parts of the country since Eid-ul-Azha on June 7, according to officials.

However, rawhide collection is expected to fall by 12-15 per cent this year due to several reasons, said the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC).

Out of the total hides preserved so far, 4.1 million are from cows and buffaloes, while the rest are from goats and sheep, it said.

At the BSCIC Leather Industrial Estate in Savar, tanneries have stored around 550,000 strips of hides, including those of cows, buffaloes, and goats, said Dr Md Farhad Ahmed, general manager (leather) of BSCIC.

He told The Financial Express that from June 7 to noon on June 16 (Monday), a total of 1,881 trucks carrying hides entered the Savar leather park.

He said rawhide collection dropped by around 12-15 per cent this year mainly because fewer animals were sacrificed.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, a total of 9.1 million cattle were sacrificed this Eid - about 1.2 million less compared to last year.

Dr Ahmed said another reason for lower collection in Savar is the 10-day restriction on hide-carrying trucks from entering Dhaka from other districts.

The rule was strictly enforced this year, which led to fewer deliveries during that period, he said.

As the restriction ends on June 17 (today), he expects hide arrivals at Savar to increase in the coming days.

A BSCIC official requesting anonymity said political changes in the country, along with last year's scandal involving ex-National Board of Revenue (NBR) official Matiur Rahman's son and his goat purchase, may have discouraged many wealthy individuals from buying animals in large numbers this year.

Md Saiful Islam, chairman of BSCIC, told The Financial Express the hide collection and preservation process takes place in three stages.

The first is through orphanages and lillah boarding madrasas, the second through seasonal traders at local or district levels, and the third through direct delivery to tanneries, he said.

He said the first two stages have been completed successfully, and the third is now ongoing.

Regarding financial losses by seasonal traders, Mr Islam said some traders failed to apply salt to the hides in time due to the heat, which damaged the quality and lowered the prices.

However, hides collected and salted properly by madrasas, mosques, and orphanages were sold at government-set rates - sometimes even at higher prices, he said.

He credited the government's free distribution of 30,000 tonnes of salt this year to help preserve hides better and reduce potential losses.

Md Shaheen Ahmed, chairman of the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), told The Financial Express their target this year is to collect 8.0 million pieces of rawhides.

Around 0.55 million pieces have so far arrived at tanneries from the surrounding areas, he said.

Sources at the BSCIC Leather Industrial City in Savar said out of the 162 tanneries there, 142 are currently active and well-prepared.

The authorities are working on ensuring a steady supply of gas and electricity to the factories, while regular monitoring continues to maintain order in the industrial zone.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, this year's price of salted raw cowhide is the highest in the last 10 years, set at Tk 60-65 per square foot.

Back in 2015, the price was Tk 50-55 per square foot.

Usually, 50 to 60 per cent of the country's annual rawhide is collected during Eid-ul-Azha.

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