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Dhaka, June 07, 2025 : Following the Eid-ul-Adha sacrifices, animal hides have started arriving in Savar from Dhaka and surrounding areas. However, these hides are not being sold at the government-prescribed prices. Sellers claim that despite the relatively good quality of the hides, they are not receiving fair prices. Meanwhile, wholesalers cite losses as a reason for their reluctance to purchase hides at the set rates.
On Saturday (June 07), discussions with buyers and sellers in Dhaka’s Mirpur, Mohammadpur, and Hazaribagh revealed this situation. Like previous years, raw cow hides in Dhaka are being sold for Tk 600 to Tk 700, depending on quality. Multiple wholesalers and traders stated that seasonal traders, unaware of market dynamics, often buy hides at inflated prices. However, they emphasized that the current market for hides is unfavorable.
In Lalbagh, Dhaka, hide traders reported purchasing cow hides at Tk 600 to Tk 700 based on quality. According to them, processing raw hides, including costs for salt and labor, requires approximately Tk 400 per hide. Due to the sluggish market, they are buying hides at slightly lower prices compared to last year.
According to the Department of Livestock, tannery owners have set a target to collect 8 to 8.5 million hides during this Eid-ul-Adha. To stabilize the market, tannery firms are directly purchasing raw hides.
Sakhawat Ullah, Senior Vice Chairman of the Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA), said that while the supply of hides is good this year, most are from smaller cattle. He also claimed that hide prices are Tk 100 to Tk 150 higher per piece compared to last year.
Mohammad Emdadul Haque (Sohrab), Organizing Secretary of the Savar Raw Hide Depot Owners’ Association, stated that purchasing hides at government-set prices is not feasible. He explained that additional costs for salt and labor, combined with the set prices, would lead to losses.
Lieutenant Colonel Mosarraf Hossain, Commander of the Feni Battalion of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), told Kalabela that the BGB is maintaining strict vigilance to prevent the smuggling of sacrificial animal hides to India. Regular patrols and intelligence operations have been intensified along the border.
On May 25, ahead of Eid-ul-Adha, the government fixed new prices for sacrificial animal hides. In Dhaka, the minimum price for raw cow hides was set at Tk 1,350, while outside Dhaka, it was Tk 1,150. Additionally, salted goat hides were priced at Tk 22 to Tk 27, and sheep hides at Tk 20 to Tk 22 per square foot.
Last year, salted cow hides in Dhaka were priced at Tk 60 to Tk 65 per square foot, and Tk 50 to Tk 55 outside Dhaka. Salted goat hides were set at Tk 20 to Tk 25, and sheep hides at Tk 18 to Tk 20 per square foot.
AI/MR
