Salt stock sufficient, no possibility of crisis: millers

There is no possibility of a salt crisis for leather processing in the upcoming peak season spanning three months after Eid-ul-Azha as the country has a sufficient amount in stock, according to industry people.

Approximately 1.21 lakh heads of cattle, including bulls, buffalos, goats and lambs, have been prepared for sacrifice during this year's Eid-ul-Azha, after which tanners collect the leftover hides that make up about 50 per cent of their annual supply.

Bangladesh currently has 3.5 lakh tonnes of salt, which is more than four times the 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes required by tanneries following the major religious festival for the country's Muslim community.

Besides, even if the price of salt increases in the coming days, the increment will not exceed Tk 1 per kilogramme (kg), they said.

The Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) yesterday arranged a view exchange meeting between leather businesses and salt traders in Dhaka's Karwan Bazar in order to maintain adequate supplies of the mineral and keep prices normal ahead of Eid.

Salting is one of the most important steps in tanning as it keeps rawhides from decaying.

Nurul Kabir, president of the Bangladesh Salt Mill Owners Association, said quality salt used for leather processing is being sold at Tk 1,050 per sack weighing 75 kgs while the same amount of the slightly poorer quality is being sold for Tk 920.

"The government has allowed the import of 1.5 lakh tonnes of salt and so, there is no chance for a crisis," he said.

"Salt prices are slightly higher now as tannery owners are stocking up ahead of Eid," Kabir added.

In Narayanganj's Nitaiganj, a wholesale hub for salt, the price of each 75 kg sack of unrefined salt has gone up by Tk 100-150 to between Tk 1,080 and Tk 1,150 over the past month.

Aftab Khan, chairman of the Bangladesh Hide and Skin Merchants Association, said tanners should follow relevant guidelines regarding the hide preservation process.

"So, we have given instructions to traders to store them accordingly after purchase so that the hides are not damaged," he said.

Khan went on to say that rawhide prices are slightly higher now compared to the last Eid-ul-Azha season.

"I can say in advance that business will be better this time but as salt prices are a bit higher, we want support from traders in this regard," Khan added.

AHM Shafiquzzaman, director general of the DNCRP, said action would be taken as per the law against those who raise salt prices without cause.

"We have come to know that tannery owners have already collected 80-85 per cent of the salt they require for the next three months and so, there should not be a shortage in the available reserves," he said.

However, activities are still ongoing to ensure that prices remain stable during Eid. For example, cases will be filed against those responsible if there is any price manipulation in the salt market centring the tanning industry.

"Rawhides of sacrificial animals are a national asset. So, the DNCRP drive to preserve hides will be strict this time," Shafiquzzaman added.

Last year, rawhide traders were forced to either dump, burry or burn huge amounts of the main raw material for leather as they had gone rotten for a lack of salt.

"But this will not happen in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha," the DNCRP director general said.

Rawhide traders aim to collect around one crore cattle skins from this Eid season, according to the Bangladesh Tanners Association.

About 18.30 lakh tonnes of salt have been produced as of the second week of May, as per data from the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation.

The salt production season runs from November to May each year.