Tannery Owners Target 10m Hides Amid Eid Processing Rush

Savar tanneries abuzz as rawhide collection hits peak: Photo collected

The Savar BSCIC Tannery Industrial Estate has become a center of intense activity as tannery owners and workers work tirelessly to collect, preserve, and process millions of sacrificial animal hides following Eid-ul-Azha.

This year, tannery owners are aiming to collect around 10 million hides, despite a slight decrease compared to previous years.

In just 24 hours, approximately 350,000 hides were delivered to tanneries from Dhaka and surrounding districts. The hides are arriving by truck, sourced from madrasas, orphanages, wholesalers, and seasonal traders.

The tannery area is now fully engaged in the preservation process, with workers salting, cutting, soaking, and preparing the hides for further treatment. The initial salting is followed by fleshing and chemical processing in drums.

A worker at one of the tanneries described the process:

"We started salting the hides and will move on to fleshing and chemical treatments in the coming days."

Tannery owners said rawhide collection will continue for the next 10 days in Dhaka and nearby areas, after which salted hides from more distant districts will begin to arrive.

All hides are being purchased at government-fixed prices, according to tannery representatives. They also noted that many of the hides received this year are in good condition, although total collection is estimated to be 15% to 20% lower than previous years. Economic conditions may have influenced this decline.

Some in the leather sector have expressed concern over the ban on exporting raw and wet blue hides. While export is generally restricted to support domestic industry, an exception could be made if local prices fall below sustainable levels.

Officials emphasized that while the option to export raw hides is being retained as a backup, it will only be considered if necessary—not as a routine measure.

As the collection and processing continue, tannery owners remain hopeful that the season will progress smoothly, helping maintain the country’s leather industry as a vital contributor to the national economy.