Rawhide trade in crisis as Eid approaches

The Greater Chattogram Rawhide Traders Cooperative Society Limited has placed a seven-point demand before the government ahead of Eid-ul-Adha, calling for urgent measures to stabilise the country’s struggling leather and rawhide sector.

The demands were announced at a press conference on Saturday at the association office in Aturar Depot, Chattogram.

Leaders said the rawhide trade in the region is facing a severe crisis due to long-standing mistrust between traders and tannery owners, non-implementation of government-fixed prices, unpaid dues and continued financial losses.

General Secretary Mohammad Yunus said the number of active traders has fallen sharply in recent years, from around 140-150 to only 30-40, as many were forced out of business due to capital losses.

He added that a large portion of the association’s 112 members have already exited the sector.

Association President Md Muslim Uddin alleged that although the government announces rawhide prices ahead of Eid, tannery owners later purchase hides at 30-40 per cent lower rates, causing significant losses for traders.

He further said that many traders who took bank loans to purchase rawhide in previous years have become bankrupt due to unpaid dues from tannery owners.

According to him, around Tk 20 crore remains outstanding between 2016 and 2019.

The leaders noted that Chattogram handles approximately 350,000 to 400,000 pieces of salted rawhide annually during Eid, but limited local tannery capacity means most hides are transported to Dhaka.

They added that post-Eid sales are also difficult, as Dhaka-based buyers often avoid travelling to Chattogram.

Their seven-point demand includes reopening closed tanneries such as Madina Tannery in Chattogram, expanding Leather Working Group (LWG) certification for local tanneries, and forming a monitoring cell with government and industry representatives to ensure fair pricing.

The traders also called for stronger veterinary measures to control diseases such as lumpy skin disease, anthrax and pox, which damage hide quality and increase losses.

They emphasised the need for greater public awareness, including proper salting of hides and selling them only to authorised traders or designated warehouses after sacrifice.