Cow rawhide price fixed at Tk 40-45 per sqft in Dhaka; Tk 33-37 elsewhere

The government today fixed the prices of the salt-applied rawhides of cows at Tk 40-45 per square feet in Dhaka and Tk 33-37 across the country.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi announced the new rates of rawhides of the sacrificial animals at a virtual meeting ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha to be observed July 21.

Meanwhile, the prices of salt-applied rawhide of goats have been fixed at Tk 14-17 per square feet in the capital while Tk 12-14 per square feet across the country, he said.

Amid Covid-19 fallout in business, the old stock of leather, current global supply and demand have been considered in fixing the prices, the minister said adding that nearly Tk 600 crore loan has been allowed for the tanners to purchase rawhide from the grassroots level this year.

Over the last two seasons, many people have either thrown away or buried rawhides in many areas of the country because of too low prices or no prices from the seasonal traders.

“It is expected that the demand for rawhide will be higher in the upcoming Eid as the government has already permitted five local tanneries to the export of half processed wet-blue for the next one year,” said Tapan Kanti Ghosh, commerce secretary at the meeting.