MAGURA, Aug 26: Rawhide traders of the district are disappointed over the low price, high processing cost and fund shortage.
Sources said around 500 merchants across the district are frustrated during the peak trading season.
A single cowhide was sold at Tk 45 to Tk 50 per square feet in Dhaka city against Tk 50 to Tk 55 last year whereas it was Tk 35 to Tk 40 outside of capital against Tk 40 to Tk 45 last year.
A goathide was between Tk 18 and Tk 20 per square feet against Tk 16 to Tk 18 last year.
Government decreased hide price by 10 per cent this Eid while processing cost was increased by 20 per cent.
A total of 13,250 animals were slaughtered in the district during Eid-ul-Azha. But till Saturday last traders collected only 1700 pieces of rawhide.
Moreover tannery owners are yet to pay Tk 100 million as dues to the traders of the district.
In this situation they are facing shortage of fund shortage.
Rawhide trader Abu Sharif of Islampur area in the district town said, "Tannery owners in Dhaka did not pay my dues. Moreover I failed to arrange loan from bank this year."
A good number of traders said salt is being sold at Tk 600 per maund against Tk 500 last year. It is the main ingredient to preserve the skins.
Processing cost has jumped by 15 per cent to 20 per cent this season, they added.
Magura Chamber of Commerce and Industry Director Rasul Meer said rawhide traders faced hard time this season.
He laid emphasis on adopting proper policy for rawhide industry.
Our Sylhet correspondent adds: Traders of the district couldn't procure the targeted rawhide this season due to fund shortage.
They said they are frustrated over the dull market, low price, unpaid arrear and shortage of fund.
President of Shahjalal Chamra Baybosayee Bahumukhi Samabaya Samity Shamim Ahmed said, "We had a target of procuring lowest 0.12 million pieces of rawhide, including 80,000 to 90,000 pieces of cows this year. But only 50 per cent could be achieved."
"It happened due to poor interest showed by the tannery in Dhaka. There are 300 rawhide traders in Sylhet", he added.
He said, "Mainly seasonal traders at grassroots procure the rawhides and supply those to us on some profit and after minimum processing we sell these to the merchants in Dhaka."
"But, we can't buy and spend much due to shortage of fund. They tannery owners did not even clean the previous dues", said Mr Shamim adding, "Even some arrears are there for three years. On the other hand the processing cost of raw hides had also gone up in the recent days."
"Only 30 per cent of arrears has been realised this time. Some people from Dhaka had also bought some raw hides through their agents here, causing much for us", He further said.
However, the rawhides were sold at throwaway prices at initial level while a very few people were found engaged in buying it from the sellers on Eid day, a number of people said.
One single piece of cowhide was sold at Tk 150 to Tk 300, said a number of traders.
The tanners had procured the rawhide at Tk 40 per square feet last year while it is reduced by Tk 10 this year. At the root level the price is almost half, said a number of local traders, it is lowest in 10 years.