Rawhide collection exceeds target in Ctg

In Chattogram, the collection of rawhide from sacrificial animals during Eid-ul-Adha has exceeded the target, with about 3.61 lakh pieces collected, surpassing the target of 3.5 lakh pieces.

Traders say the collected rawhide has been processed with salt at the district and upazila levels.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, 3.19 lakh pieces of rawhide were collected in Chattogram last year, compared to 3.43 lakh in 2022.

This year, the Ministry of Commerce set the price of rawhide outside Dhaka at Tk50 to Tk55 per square foot.

However, seasonal traders alleged that they had to sell rawhide at a lower price than the government-set rate.

Mohammad Ershad, a seasonal rawhide trader from Satkania upazila, said, "Wholesalers did not buy rawhide at the government-fixed price. We had to sell at lower prices due to a lack of government supervision."

Abdul Haque, another seasonal trader from the Patia area, echoed this complaint, saying he incurred losses because he could not sell rawhide at the government-set price.

However, wholesalers say seasonal traders collect rawhide from door to door, passing through several hands before reaching them, which inflates the prices two to three times.

Muslim Uddin, president of the Greater Chattogram Rawhide Traders-Wholesalers Association, said, "This year, more rawhide than the target have been collected in Chattogram. Small-sized cowhides have been bought for Tk300-400, medium-sized for Tk500-600, and large-sized cowhides for Tk700-900."

Abdul Quader, vice-president of the association, added, "The cost of salt, labour, transport, and storage for each rawhide is Tk320. Including the transport cost to reach Dhaka, the cost rises to about Tk500. Additionally, tannery owners discard 15%-20% of the rawhide when collecting from us."

He further said, "About Tk25 crore from sales between 2015 and 2018 are still stuck with tannery owners in Dhaka. Many traders and wholesalers have become bankrupt due to sustained losses over a long period."

According to the wholesalers' association, Chattogram has collected 2.97 lakh pieces of cowhide, 12,200 pieces of buffalohide, and 51,600 pieces of goathide this year.