Seasonal rawhide traders have expressed their frustration, saying that prices of leather products are increasing rapidly in the country but they are still getting low prices of rawhides of the sacrificial animals.
They said they even faced losses as rawhides were not sold at the government-fixed prices in Chatmohar upazila of Pabna district after Eid-ul-Azha. Abdus Sattar, a seasonal rawhide trader of Mallikbain village in the upazila, bought five cowhides for Tk 4,700 and 10 goat skins for Tk 200 on the day of Eid-ul-Azha on Monday, hoping for some extra income. Then, he brought the skins to a market adjacent to Rishi Para of Chatmohar municipal headquarters in a van at a cost of Tk 200 for sale. He could not sell the rawhides for a long time. Finally, he sold 10 goat skins for Tk 200 and five cowhides for Tk 4,500. His loss is Tk 400, including van fare. Expressing his frustration on the market premises, Abdus Sattar said, “I won’t do such business again."
Not only Abdus Sattar but also some other traders like him, owners of sacrificial animals and sellers of rawhides collected on behalf of orphanages and madrasas faced difficulties while selling hides.
Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association announced the sale of salted cowhides outside Dhaka at Tk 50 to 55 per square foot, but rawhide was not sold, based on per square foot, anywhere in Chatmohar,. As farias (middlemen) said the price of skins was low, many of those who sacrificed animals did not sell the skins to the middlemen, Instead, they took the rawhides to wholesale buyers hoping for a higher price, but they did not get fair prices for the skins of cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep. Sellers expressed their disappointment over the low prices. To avoid any possible hassle, many people donated the hides of sacrificial animals to madrasas and orphanages. Atahar Ali of Chatmohar municipality area said he bought a cow at Tk 1.08 lakh for sacrifice but sold its hide for only Tk 600.
Munzil Hossain of Hogalbaria village under Dibigram Union said he sold the hide of his cow, which was bought at Tk 1.4 lakh, for only Tk 700.
He expressed his disappointment and said the price of leather products is rising but the price of hides is not increasing. The money from the sale of rawhides is the right of the poor. Due to low prices, poor people are being deprived.
Rafiqul Islam of Binyabari village under Nimaichara Union said he sold the hide of a cow, which was bought at Tk 1.4 lakh, for only Tk 750.
talking to this correspondent at the market, Vice-Principal of Chhotoguakhara Combined Madrasa Shamsul Alam Tuhin said he has been waiting for three hours for the sale of skins collected by the madrasa. Rawhide traders offered Tk 20 (Tk 10 if cut) for each goat skin while Tk 850 (Tk 350 if cut) for each cowhide, he said. Krishna Chandra Das, a rawhide trader in Natun Bazar under Chatmohar Municipality area, said he buys good quality cow and buffalo skins for Tk 900 to Tk 1,000, goat skin for Tk 20 to Tk 30 and sheep and goat skin for Tk 10 to Tk 20. He said the price of rawhide is slightly higher this year than last year.
Sujan Ali, another trader of Bara Shalikha Mohalla, said he bought 50 cowhides. The average price of each is Tk 650. He bought goat skin for Tk 10 to 35. Another rawhide trader, Sukumar Chandra Das, said he bought cowhide for Tk 700 to Tk 1,000. About 2,000 cowhides and 4,000 goat skins were bought and sold in Rishi Palli. After processing with salt, they would sell the hides to wholesale buyers in Natore and Dhaka.
