Rawhide traders in utter problems on low prices

The seasonal and permanent leather traders collected huge hides and skins at lower prices this year than previous years. The traders collected around 7 lakh pieces of raw leathers of sacrificial cattle from the day of Eid-ul- Azha till Monday.  
The prices of cattle were high this year as adequate cattle could not reach the markets in Chittagong before Eid day on September 1. As a result, the prices of sacrificial cattle were very high just before Eid. Despite the high prices of the cattle, huge families bought cattle to sacrifice.
It is reported that around 7 lakh cattle were sacrificed this year against 6 lakh last year. The number of hide and skin of sacrificial cattle increased this year, the lather traders said.
On the other hand, seasonal leather traders are getting fixed price of the leathers as the tannery owners affixed the prices earlier. Despite affixation of prices of leathers, the traders particularly the seasonal one who used to buy leathers of sacrificial animals during the Eid, faced problems for selling their raw leathers as they collected those at higher prices.
The authorities including three organizations related to leather trade affixed the rate of leather. They fixed up the rate of hide at Tk 45 to 55 per sft per sft this year.
According to the sources, the supply sacrificial animal this year increased at least by 20%. The owners of tanneries and leather traders said that they used to collect around 4 to 5 lakh pieces every year earlier during Eid-ul- Azha. Of these around 70 thousand pieces skin leathers while rest are hides.
But, the collection of raw leather increased this year than previous years.
Sources said, the tanneries collected a total of 3 lakh pieces in 2010, 2.5 lakh in 2009 and around 6 lakh last year. The number increased to 7 lakh pieces this year.
Mohammad Moslem Uddin, the former president and incumbent advisor of Chittagong Leather Arothdar Samity said that collection of raw leather in the current year increased than previous years. He said, their collection of leathers even surpassed the target.
Khorshed Alam, General Secretary of Chittagong Leather Arothdar Samity said, “We have collected leathers at Tk 80 to 120 per sft in the previous years while we are collecting leathers at Tk 50 to 60 per sft current year. But, the tannery owners affixed the rate in the current year.