Tanners brace for low supply of raw hides in coming Eid

FE Team | Published: November 06, 2010 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Jasim Uddin Haroon
The tanners Friday said procurement of raw hides and skin might fall sharply during this year's Eid-ul-Azha due to the panic over anthrax, which has attacked cattle in some parts of the country a few months back.
Anthrax, a domestic animal-related disease, spread mainly in the northern districts and claimed the lives of around 110 cattle, mostly cows.
"We're now supplying on an average 70,000 pieces of raw hides a month against around 130,000 pieces. If the trend continues, then we will get smaller quantities of the hides during the coming Eid-ul-Azha," said Md Aftab, president of Bangladesh Hides and Skin Merchants Association.
Md Saiful Islam, president of Leather Goods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh, told the FE: "The mobilisation of raw hides and skin dropped by around 75 per cent over the last few months following the anthrax scare."
He, however, said the government might create awareness among the people and boost confidence among them thorough the media.
Bangladesh tanners handle around 50 per cent raw hides during the Eid-ul-Azha, that witnesses the sacrifice of animals, out of around 350 million feet a year.
Local tanners collected more than 2.9 million pieces of cowhide and 4.5 million pieces of goatskin during the Eid-ul-Azha in 2009.
Mr Aftab said that with the detection of anthrax just before holy Shab-e-Barat, that also is marked by slaughter of cows, many got scared and stopped consuming beef.
He said the widespread panic has led to less consumption of meat leading to a shortage of hides in the local market. It resulted in price hike of raw hides in the market, he added.
Currently, the prices of finer-quality raw hides range between Tk 90 and Tk 95 a square foot against Tk 80-Tk 85 earlier.
Local tanners produce four types of leather: raw hides, wet blue, crushed leather and finished leather.
Industry people said the scare over raw hides might affect the country's export of crushed and finished leathers.
Bangladesh mainly exports crushed and finished leathers. Of the total leather exports from Bangladesh, 80 per cent is crushed leather and the rest is finished leather.
The products are mainly sent to the USA, Italy, Germany, Japan, Korea and China.
Export Promotion Bureau data shows leather exporters earned $226 million in fiscal 2009-10, up from $177 million a year ago.
Tanners will meet Monday to fix the prices of raw hides this year.