Chairman, Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA), S M Naseem, has said that this year slaughtering of sacrificial animals has been decreased drastically as compared to previous year owing to high prices of sacrificial animals. According to survey, the decrease was reported this year by 50 percent for sheep and goat skins while 10-15 percent showed for cow hides.
Responding to a query, S M Naseem said that this year major decline was found in the collection of sheep and goat skins by 50 percent as the prices of goats were at very higher side owing to high inflation, resultantly the masses were compelled for the share in joint sacrifice of cow. An estimated slaughtering of sacrificial animals of cow, sheep/goat skins are 5.00 to 5.5 million (approx) animals in comparison as compared last year figure which was 7 million animals.
The Chairman, PTA, Naseem also explained the major reasons for the decrease in the sacrifice of animals this year:
---- Smuggling of live animals from Pakistan to neighbour countries.
---- 1.5 animals dead in recent floods in Pakistan (as per statistics released by Government of Pakistan)
---- Export of live animals from Pakistan under provision of special quota.
Negative impact on leather industry:
---- It is apprehended by the Chairman, PTA, S M Naseem that owing to heavy decrease of collection of goat skins, ie reduced up to 50 percent this year and cow by 10-15 percent only, it would definitely affect the leather industry, resultantly unnecessary suffering to the production of leather industry to a great extent, which may certainly bring negative impact on the pace of receiving precious foreign exchange for the national exchequer as well as to create further unemployment in the leather industry in the wake of low production.
He also added that the leather industry is already facing great turmoil in shape of heavy load shedding, high prices of gas, petrol, smuggling /export of live animals, which is already increasing cost of production apart from it the scarcity of raw materials, specially sheep and goat skins would certainly add further cost in the production to make our members unable to compete locally and internationally for fetching export orders.
S M Naseem strongly appeals to the government to take necessary preventive measures to avoid smuggling of live animals from Pakistan and also to impose a "complete ban" on export of live animals from Pakistan under the provision of special quota, which is not only in the supreme interest of leather industry, but also cause to reduce the milk & meat prices for the general masses in Pakistan.-PR
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