Srinagar, July 26: Once a crucial business, providing thousands of livelihoods, animal hide trade is struggling to survive in Kashmir as the demand as well as the prices have hit rock bottom in recent months – thanks to the decline of the leather sector.
President of Kashmir Raw Skin Dealers Association (KRSDA), Mehraj-ud-din said that the price has reduced from Rs 400 to Rs 80 while as the demand too is declining with each passing day.
“The families, who are directly or indirectly involved with this trade are struggling to meet their daily needs,” he further said.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), livelihood of about 400 families has got badly affected due to the decline in raw skin trade in Kashmir.
The people associated with trade maintain that the price of a sheep and goat skin has constantly declined in the last seven years, mainly due to the slump in global demand for luxury leather goods.
Due to the less demand in the market, the traders are unable to find buyers for animal hides even on the eve of Eid festival.
Meanwhile, President of Kashmir Raw Skin Dealers Association appealed government to help in promoting the business so that the people associated with the trade can earn their livelihood again. —(KNO)
