Fear of supply crunch

Tannery owners dismayed

Tannery owners in the country are apprehending shortage of raw hide and skin in the absence of adequate number of sacrificial cattle for Eid-ul-Azha.They said non-arrival of cattle from India would affect their target to collect 55 to 60 lakh pieces of raw hide this year. They had collected 50 to 55 lakh pieces of raw hide last year. Besides, prices of raw hide are expected to be lower this year as prices in the international market have gone down by 30 per cent. Sources said about 40 lakh heads of cattle will be required for sacrifice on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, one of the biggest Muslim festivals. However, the market is likely to face a shortfall of 10 lakh due to the ban on export of cattle to Bangladesh by the Indian authorities.
This shortfall is expected despite assurances by the livestock department that it has about 96.35 lakh animals, including cattle, buffalo, goat and sheep, ready for the market ahead of Eid on September 25. “There were no Indian cattle in the market for the last four to five months. Around eight to 10 lakh heads of cattle and goats from our stock were slaughtered during this time to meet the domestic demand,” Shaheen Ahmed, chairman of the Bangladesh Tanners' Association (BTA), told The Independent yesterday.
Traders have imported around 19 lakh heads of cattle from neighbouring countries last year, he said, adding that the cattle traders are yet to import four to five lakh from neighbouring countries as only seven days are left for Eid.
“We had set a target to collect 60 lakh pieces of raw hide this year. But we may not achieve our target this time because many people won’t be able to sacrifice animals due to shortage of cattle,” Ahmed said. The BTA is yet to fix prices of raw hide, Ahmed said. “A meeting will be held on September 20 in this regard,” he added.
Tannery owners had borrowed Tk. 465 crore from state-owned banks last year, he said. This year, they require about Tk. 500-550 crore, he added.
He also urged the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to prevent smuggling of raw hides during Eid.

Fear of supply crunch

Tannery owners dismayed

Tannery owners in the country are apprehending shortage of raw hide and skin in the absence of adequate number of sacrificial cattle for Eid-ul-Azha.They said non-arrival of cattle from India would affect their target to collect 55 to 60 lakh pieces of raw hide this year. They had collected 50 to 55 lakh pieces of raw hide last year. Besides, prices of raw hide are expected to be lower this year as prices in the international market have gone down by 30 per cent. Sources said about 40 lakh heads of cattle will be required for sacrifice on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, one of the biggest Muslim festivals. However, the market is likely to face a shortfall of 10 lakh due to the ban on export of cattle to Bangladesh by the Indian authorities. This shortfall is expected despite assurances by the livestock department that it has about 96.35 lakh animals, including cattle, buffalo, goat and sheep, ready for the market ahead of Eid on September 25. There were no Indian cattle in the market for the last four to five months. Around eight to 10 lakh heads of cattle and goats from our stock were slaughtered during this time to meet the domestic demand, Shaheen Ahmed, chairman of the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), told The Independent yesterday. Traders have imported around 19 lakh heads of cattle from neighbouring countries last year, he said, adding that the cattle traders are yet to import four to five lakh from neighbouring countries as only seven days are left for Eid. We had set a target to collect 60 lakh pieces of raw hide this year. But we may not achieve our target this time because many people wont be able to sacrifice animals due to shortage of cattle, Ahmed said. The BTA is yet to fix prices of raw hide, Ahmed said. A meeting will be held on September 20 in this regard, he added. Tannery owners had borrowed Tk. 465 crore from state-owned banks last year, he said. This year, they require about Tk. 500-550 crore, he added. He also urged the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to prevent smuggling of raw hides during Eid.