Mixed feelings following Eid
There have been conflicting reports from Bangladesh over the success of the the Eid-ul-Azha festival in terms of the collection of hides and skins.
While Harun Chowdhury, president of Bangladesh Tanners Association,
estimated that tanners collected approximately 10% more raw hides this year compared with last, at 2.5 million pieces, Tipu Sultan, president of Bangladesh Leather and Leather Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association painted an extremely different picture. He claimed that the higher price of raw hides and increased processing costs will challenge the industry. He added that the collection rate of raw hides was also negatively affected as a result of cyclone Sidr, which led to fewer people sacrificing animals during the festival. "Generally we collect around 1.8 to two million pieces of cow hide and 3.5 to four million pieces of goatskin during Eid-ul-Azha. But this year the collection of cow hide may be 200,000 and goatskin 500,000 lower than the previous year due to the devastating cyclone," he said.
Meanwhile, in Pakistan, there was positive news as Karachi alone collected 1.25 million sacrificial animals, and early reports showed a 15% rise in the price of cow hides and a 20% increase in goat skin prices compared with last year, although volume is thought to have fallen.
