21% of rawhides sold at almost half price due to poor skinning: CPD
Only 4.8% of animals were sacrificed by professional butchers nationwide during Eid, study finds
Approximately 21% of sacrificial animal hides collected during this year's Eid-ul-Adha were sold at prices 43% lower than good-quality hides due to damage caused by unskilled skinning, resulting in flay cuts and tears, according to a study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
The study, conducted between February and June 2025, was a joint initiative by the CPD, Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), and Leather Sector Business Promotion Council (LSBPC).
The findings were presented by CPD Senior Research Associate Tamim Ahmed at a workshop titled "Bangladesh Leather Supply Chain: Ensuring Quality and Price of Raw Leather", at the Dhaka Club today (23 June).
Lack of skilled butchers, mishandling to blame
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According to the CPD, flay cuts – marks or tears caused by excessive pressure or misuse of sharp tools while skinning – were the primary reason behind the hide damage. These flaws drastically reduced the value of the hides.
Tamim noted that a significant portion of rawhides were either damaged or discarded due to inefficient skinning practices.
A lack of skilled butchers and a shortage of operational slaughterhouses contributed to the problem, he said, adding that without proper technique, the skin can suffer from cuts, tears, and structural damage, reducing it to low-grade or unusable leather.
The study highlighted that while over 20 lakh animals were sacrificed in Dhaka alone, the city had only 11,600 certified butchers, according to the Bangladesh Meat Traders Association.
Nationwide, only 4.8% of animals were sacrificed by professional butchers during Eid. In contrast, 13.3% were slaughtered by the owners themselves, and 81.9% by madrasa or mosque representatives, many of whom lacked proper training.
The CPD suggests that this gap could be addressed by establishing and utilising modern, hygienic slaughterhouses.
Lack of salt use further damaged hides quality
The study also found significant lapses in post-slaughter handling.
None of the sacrificial hides were salted before preservation. Specifically, 37% of madrasas and 83% of seasonal traders sold the hides without applying salt, which further deteriorated the leather quality, said the study.
The average market price per square foot for high-quality leather stood at Tk39, whereas poor-quality leather with cuts and blemishes fetched only Tk27, representing a 43% price gap.
According to the Department of Livestock, over 91 lakh animals were sacrificed across the country during this Eid-ul-Adha, including 47 lakh cattle and buffaloes.
This year, the government set the price of salted cowhide per square foot at Tk60-65 in Dhaka and Tk55-60 in other regions.
Need for policy and infrastructure reform
Tamim Ahmed emphasised that proper skinning and preservation practices are crucial for ensuring better prices.
He cited Bengal Meat as an example, noting that their hides sell for around Tk2,000 each due to proper slaughter and skinning procedures.
The study also noted that foreign investors continue to face challenges in securing land in the leather industry zone in Hemayetpur, Savar.
Data for the study were collected from 768 participants across five districts – Dhaka, Barishal, Chattogram, Natore, and Mymensingh. Respondents included representatives from madrasas, orphanages, seasonal traders, shopkeepers, tannery owners and workers.
Weak supply chain, poor incentives threaten leather exports
Examining the leather supply chain, the CPD found that cattle moved from livestock rearers to butchers or sacrificial animal owners. After slaughter, the hides typically go to local madrasa representatives or seasonal traders, then pass through middlemen and wholesalers before reaching the tanneries. At the tannery, the hides are processed into "wet blue" leather, which is eventually supplied to leather goods manufacturers.
The study highlights that during Eid-ul-Adha, a massive number of animals are sacrificed and their hides are preserved and traded in a short period of time. Due to this rushed process, weaknesses in supply chain management pose a high risk of severe deterioration in leather quality.
CPD Research Director Khondaker Golam Moazzem said, "Leather pricing should be set for both salted and unsalted hides from next year, with salted hides priced high enough to incentivise proper salting at the source."
He also recommended that the opportunity to export rawhides be maintained.
Golam Moazzem criticised the government's official animal sacrifice figures, saying they are inaccurate and inconsistent with field-level data.
Addressing the chief guest, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman said that, instead of distributing free salt for preservation, the government may consider offering incentives for the sale of salted hides starting next year. He believes this could encourage timely preservation practices.
Call for fixing CETP in Savar tanneries
Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) Chairman Md Shaheen Ahmed said only about 30% of the country's leather is bought by Leather Working Group (LWG)-certified buyers, while the remaining 70% stays in the domestic market or is exported at very low prices.
If the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) in the Savar Leather Industrial Park becomes fully functional, export earnings from leather could grow by Tk50,000-60,000 crore over the next 4-5 years, he said, stressing the need to create opportunities for foreign investment in the sector.
BTA Senior Vice Chairman Shakhawat Ullah urged the government to take prompt action to bring the quality of the CETP at the Savar Tannery Industrial Park up to the standards set by the Department of Environment. He said that doing so would significantly boost demand for rawhides and could nearly double their price.
