Tanneries across Pakistan have received 20 percent fewer hides during Eidul Azha, suggesting that sacrificial activity was considerably less this year.
According to Anjum Zafar, the Chairman of Pakistan Tanners Association, told the media that about 700,000 to 725,000 skins of animals have been received by the tanneries across the country in 2021.
He said, “The overall collection this year depicts a 20 percent drop from 2020 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the low purchasing power of the people, rising food prices, less spending by consumers, and overall business environment.”
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Last year, the price fixed by the tanneries was Rs 700 per cowhide whereas this year, the price has gone high to Rs 1000 to 1100 per cowhide. The price of goat hide was Rs 170 last year which increased to Rs 210 this year. The hide of sheep was Rs 80 last year which rose to Rs 90 this year.
Leather market feels the pinch due to low flow of hides during Eidul Azha
Like other industries, the leather industry, however, showed good performance on the export front during the outgoing fiscal year. During the fiscal year 2020-21, an amount of $810 was earned from the export of leather-related products.
According to the data, issued by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the export of leather garments increased by 14% to $286 million during the outgoing fiscal year as compared to the figure of the fiscal year 2019-20 which was $251 million. The exports of leather gloves rose by 22% to $260 million as compared to $213 in 2019-20.
The exports of leather footwear also went up by 5% to $108 million from $107 million which was in 2019-20. The exports of other leather goods too increased by 22 % to $23 million from $18 million in the fiscal year 2019-20. As far as the exports of finished leather are concerned, here is the fall by 12 % to $16 million from $18 million in the financial year 2019-20.
