In Chittagong, rawhides of sacrificial animals were sold at low prices again this year, ranging from Tk150 to Tk500 per piece, depending on size.
However, goat hides were not sold at all. Compared to last year, the price of rawhides has increased by Tk50-100 taka each.
Due to the low prices, sellers were less interested in selling hides. Many donated them to orphanages instead. Both sacrificial animal owners and seasonal leather traders are disappointed with the unfair prices.
Some seasonal traders bought hides from sellers at higher prices, hoping to get a better deal. However, wholesalers purchased them for Tk250-600 taka per piece.
In Dhaka, the price of salted cowhide per square foot is set at Tk55 to Tk60, compared to Tk50 to Tk55 last year. Outside Dhaka, the price is set at Tk50 to Tk55 per square foot, compared to Tk45 to Tk48 last year.
Traders said the smallest cowhide is at least 25 square feet, and larger ones can be up to 60 square feet. Yet in Chittagong, rawhides without salt were bought at Tk10 to Tk25 per square foot. Here, rawhides were purchased at an average of Tk250-500 per piece, not by square foot.
Md Rafiq, a seasonal trader from Sheikhpara village in Rauzan Upazila, said: "Rawhide prices have not increased this year either. I collected 120 rawhides from sellers. Contacting wholesalers at the Aturar Depot in the city, they offered Tk275 per piece. So, I sold them to a local buyer for Tk250 each."
Another resident from Rauzan Upazila, Zainal Abedin, said: "I sacrificed a goat, but no one came to take the hide of the goat. So, I threw it in the trash."
Ali Akbar, a former UP member of Kodalpur Union in Rauzan, said: "Our family sacrificed two cows. We donated the hides to the Gausia Committee. I didn't see many people selling hides in the area, nor did many buyers come. Most people donate the hides to orphans and the poor. Due to low prices, people donated the hides to orphanages."
MA Mubin, a resident of Hamjarbagh in the Panchlaish area of the city, said: "Wholesalers at Aturar Depot did not buy hides for more than 450 taka each. Sacrificial animal owners sold hides for Tk150 to Tk300 each. However, compared to last year, the price increased by Tk50 to Tk100 per hide."
Muslim Uddin, president of the Greater Chittagong Rawhide Wholesalers Association, said: "We are buying hides for Tk300 to Tk600 each this year. Rawhides are still coming to the depot. By 6pm on Monday, 70,000 to 100,000 rawhides had arrived at the depot. Some people locally salt and store rawhides. These rawhides will go to the depot or tanneries after some days."
Mosahib Uddin Bakhtiar, joint secretary of the Gausia Committee and chief coordinator of the Humanitarian Service Team, said: "This year, the Gausia Committee has targeted collecting around 100,000 rawhides in Chittagong city and district. The exact number of collected rawhides is yet to be counted. Nearly 4,000 Gausia Committee volunteers are working in the field to collect rawhides."
He added: "This year, rawhides are not being stored at the Jameya Ahmadiya Sunnia Alia Kamila Madrasa ground. Instead, they are being stored at a warehouse in Bibirhat Market and Aturar Depot. Rawhides are also being stored in various madrasa grounds in North and South Chittagong, and at a madrasa ground in Halisahar in the city. Altogether, Gausia Committee's fund will receive 100,000 rawhides this year."
Mokhlesur Rahman, director of Reef Leather, the only tannery in Kaluarghat Industrial Area in Chittagong, said: "We are not collecting rawhides this year. We will only buy salted rawhides from wholesalers. We plan to buy around 100,000 rawhides this year. We will start buying rawhides in a few days."
According to the District Livestock Department, around 885,000 animals were sacrificed in Chittagong during this Eid-ul-Azha.