Pakistan is expected to generate 7.5 million animal hides and skins worth nearly ~$31 million following the recent Eid Al-Adha festival, according to data from the Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) reported by Arab News.

The country is projected to record 7.47 million animal sacrifices this fiscal year, while the leather industry continues to face spoilage issues, rising costs and weaker global demand.

Cow hides remain an important raw material for Pakistan’s leather industry, which supplies leather for footwear, belts, bags and other finished products. The number of animals sacrificed during Eid has increased nearly 17% over the past decade.

However, leather export revenues have fallen by more than 17% to $828 million during the same period. PTA South Zone Secretary Raiyan Mohammad said average cow hide prices increased to Rs 2,000 ($7.18) from Rs 1,200 ($4.30) last year, while goat skin prices rose to Rs 600 ($2.15) from Rs 325 ($1.17).

Global economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability and extreme summer temperatures are reducing demand and damaging hide quality.

Pakistan’s lack of organized slaughterhouses also results in millions of animals being sacrificed at homes and on streets, causing many hides to spoil without proper salting.

If we established an organized slaughtering infrastructure like the Saudi Arabia, or Turkiye, a huge portion of this resource would be saved from rotting says Raiyan Mohammad, Secretary, South Zone, Pakistan Tanners Association.

For more details, read the full report on Arab News