Eid sacrifices fuel rawhide frenzy as traders swarm Dhaka streets

Negotiations between the representatives of orphanages and middlemen over the sacrificial animal skins are under way in Dhaka.

Seasonal traders collect rawhide from different areas including Gulshan-2 and Science Laboratory with skins being piled at these locations from noon on Eid day.

In the afternoon several trucks were parked at the Gulshan-2 intersection. From there, rawhides were transported to Posta markets.

Large cowhides are being purchased at prices ranging from Tk 650 to Tk 750.

Representatives from numerous orphanages are bringing rawhides on hand-pulled carts and gathering at the Gulshan intersection.

Ansar Ali Sikder, who came to sell 15 rawhides, said: “We bought a large-sized skin for Tk 800. If there’s no profit now, what’s the point of selling here?”

Depending on quality, seasonal traders are offering prices of Tk 600-750 for cowhides. However, they are reluctant to buy goat hides. If anyone does, the price offered is only Tk 25-50.

Wholesalers in Posta and other places collect the rawhides, apply salt, and preserve them. These salt-cured hides are later sent to tanneries.

This year, tanners in the capital will be able to purchase salt-cured cowhide at Tk 60-65 per sqft, up from last year's rate at Tk 55-60.

Outside Dhaka, the price of salt-cured cowhide has been set at Tk 55-60 per sqft, compared to last year's Tk 50-55.

Additionally, salted goat hides (from black goats) will be sold to tanneries nationwide for Tk 22-27 per sqft, up from Tk 20-25 last year. The price of regular goat hides will be Tk 20-22.

Around 6–7kg of salt is used to preserve each skin during Eid. Since casual labourers get involved during this period, the salt quantity tends to be higher.

The workers receive Tk 10-15 per skin for unloading them from trucks and delivering them to the warehouses.

An orphanage brought around 150 cowhides to the Gulshan intersection.

The traders from Posta collecting the rawhides said it becomes difficult to sell them at Posta if the price exceeds Tk 700-750.

Jonab Ali, a representative of the orphanage, said: “The traders bought rawhides for Tk 600-650 from 4pm-5pm to take them to Posta. But within an hour, prices rose to Tk 700-750.

“We're waiting for prices to hit Tk 800-850 in the evening. If there's a little profit, it benefits the orphanage. That's why we're not releasing the hides yet.”

About half of the total number of animals slaughtered in Bangladesh throughout the year are sacrificed during Eid-ul-Azha. Seasonal traders buy rawhides from those who perform the ritual sacrifice and then sell them to wholesalers.

The wholesalers apply salt and carry out the initial preservation, after which the animal skins are sold to tanneries.

Each year, the commerce ministry sets the prices at which tanneries buy rawhides.