Eid Rawhide Market: Govt plans direct export to China

Special Correspondent :

In a bid to ensure fair pricing and market stability during Eid-ul-Adha, the government has announced plans to export unprocessed rawhide to China, according to Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin.

Addressing the media following a high-level meeting of the Eid-ul-Adha Management Committee on Tuesday, Adviser Bashir stated that the Ministry of Commerce would formally approach the Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka to support the initiative.

“The prices of rawhide will be announced today (22 May), and they will be higher than last year’s, reflecting a rational and stabilised market,” Bashir said. “We are committed to guaranteeing fair prices, and if necessary, we will proceed with direct exports.”

To support rawhide preservation efforts, the government will distribute over 30,000 tonnes of salt – free of cost – to madrasahs and orphanages. An additional 70,000 tonnes will be supplied by the Ministry of Industries, which has already sought financial backing from the Ministry of Finance.

The commerce adviser also announced the launch of a nationwide awareness campaign to educate the public on preserving rawhide using salt. The campaign will include a government-produced documentary to ensure effective dissemination of preservation techniques.

In a further strategic measure, the Ministry of Commerce has directed all deputy commissioners to oversee local preservation of rawhide for a minimum of 15 days following Eid, allowing sufficient time for market adjustments and potential export procedures.

Last year, cow and buffalo rawhide prices were fixed at Tk55-60 per square foot in Dhaka and Tk50-55 in other regions. Goat hides were priced at Tk20-25 in Dhaka and Tk18-20 elsewhere.

According to official data, Bangladesh’s leather and leather goods exports reached $1.22 billion in the 2022-23 fiscal year. However, earnings declined by 11.6% to $1.04 billion in the following year. Encouragingly, the current fiscal year has seen a recovery, with $932.53 million in exports recorded between July and April-reflecting a 10.08% year-on-year increase.

The meeting was also attended by other senior officials, including Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman and Joint Secretary General of Hefazat-e-Islam Mamunul Haque, alongside representatives from various religious and educational institutions.