Despite the government’s hike in rawhide prices for Eid-ul-Azha, traders in Dhaka have expressed disappointment as they are being compelled to sell hides below the official rates. Seasonal traders in various areas of Dhaka, including Shewrapara, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, and Science Lab, noted that despite the price increase, tannery owners did not commit to purchasing hides at the elevated prices. Consequently, tannery owners are offering lower prices this year compared to the previous year, leading to a decline in hide prices as agreed upon by the traders.
The discrepancy in pricing has left many sellers receiving Tk 150 to Tk 200 less per hide than in the previous year. Moreover, there is a decreased interest in goat hides among traders. Current market rates for raw cowhides range from Tk 500 to Tk 650 this year, a drop from Tk 700 to Tk 800 observed last year.
In an effort to regulate the market, the government has set prices for rawhide from Eid-ul-Azha, with the price of salted cowhide in Dhaka now ranging from Tk 62 to Tk 67 per square foot, up from Tk 60 to Tk 65 last year. Additionally, the price of salted goat skin has been fixed at Tk 25 to Tk 30 per square foot, and she-goat skin at Tk 22 to Tk 25 per square foot. Consequently, small salted hides may yield between Tk 990 and Tk 1,200, while medium and large salted cowhides are expected to fetch between Tk 1,300 to Tk 1,850 and Tk 1,900 to Tk 2,600, respectively.
In the Mohammadpur area, trader Mohammad Shwapon mentioned purchasing small raw hides at Tk 450 each, medium-sized hides at Tk 500 to Tk 550, and large hides at Tk 600 to Tk 650. Another trader, Abid Hossain Hanif from the Science Lab area, reported buying small raw hides at Tk 400 to Tk 450, medium hides at Tk 500, and large hides at Tk 550 to Tk 600.
Despite claims by tannery owners of stable or higher prices compared to last year, some traders note lower prices due to the rates offered by tanneries. Furthermore, goat skins are reportedly facing a decreased market value. The Senior Vice Chairman of the Bangladesh Tanners Association, Md Shakawat Ullah, refuted claims of price decreases, stating that prices were Tk 20 to Tk 50 higher this year. Ullah highlighted that tanneries were directly procuring raw hides to stabilize the market, which could potentially lead to price increases later in the day.
Tannery owners have set a goal of collecting 75 lakh to 80 lakh sacrificial animal hides this year, with plans to directly purchase around 80 percent of the hides in Dhaka, compared to the approximately 750,000 to 800,000 hides purchased directly last year.
