Salt-cured rawhides selling at government-set prices: commerce advisor

Commerce Advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin has said salt-cured rawhides are being sold at prices set by the government.

While visiting the sacrificial rawhide market at Old Dhaka’s Posta on Sunday night, he said: “All our deputy commissioners (DCs) are working, and we have established a control room at the national level where hide monitoring is ongoing around the clock.

“In most cases, we have observed that salt-cured rawhides are being sold at the government-fixed rates.”

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

Many seasonal traders have said the significant price difference between salt-cured and unsalted animal skins this year has left them devastated.

Reports from Chattogram indicate that a large quantity of rawhides was discarded on the streets after failing to fetch a “reasonable price”.

Bashir Uddin claimed that in some cases, both social media and certain mainstream media outlets are spreading “misinformation” that hides have rotted.

“We looked into such a report and I personally discussed the matter with the divisional head of Chattogram and found that one trader brought 620 rawhides to Rangunia.

“These were half-rotten and not made suitable for preservation. Who would buy those rawhides? Using such rawhides to fuel a smear campaign, in collaboration with a few unscrupulous traders, is nothing but an attempt to crash the leather market once again.”

About half of the total 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.

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

The government-fixed price for purchasing sacrificial animal skins this year has increased by Tk 5 for cowhide and Tk 2 for goatskin compared with last year.

This year, tanners in the capital can 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 a sqft, compared with last year's Tk 50-55.

The commerce advisor said, “First of all, the prices we set for rawhides were with salt included. Secondly, the skins are being sold for Tk 700–800 apiece, which is higher compared with many previous years.

“But some seasonal traders have no experience with rawhides and have made them half-rotten. Expecting Tk 700–800 for half-rotten skins is a very high price.”

He claimed that the quality hides are already being sold for Tk 1,200–1,300.

“We hope that the initiative we undertook to encourage local salting and storage has made the rawhides suitable for preservation and storage, leading to a stability in market management and a balance between demand and supply.”

Bashir Uddin continued, “You must be aware that the government generously provided salt. But if all responsibility is placed on the government while you neglect your duties, then it's not reasonable to have such expectations.

“The government has taken initiatives and invested in building capacity — now it’s your responsibility to step forward.”

“You should properly apply salt on your rawhides and then ask for a fair price. I hope the sacrificial animal skins will be possible to sell at prices even higher than the government-set rate.”