Sacrificial skins get devalued due to inept butchers

Sacrificial skins get devalued due to inept butchers

Updated at: 1122 PST, Sunday, November 29, 2009 KARACHI: The Muslims all across the country observe Sunnat-e-Ibrahimi by offering sacrificial animals on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, but many do not take proper care in engaging experienced butchers for skinning the animals, which result in damaging the skins and loosing much of its value, thus causing huge national loss. According to a conservative statement, this year, 9 to 9.5 million animals were sacrificed, which included 65 percent goats, 25 percent cows, 9 percent sheep and 1 percent camels. Cow skin sells at Rs1800 to Rs2000, goat and sheep Rs250 to Rs300 and camel’s skin are sold at Rs100, thus the countrywide total sacrificial animals’ cost likely to amount to Rs4.5 to Rs5 billion. But due to inept butchers and negligence of the faithful, the real value of these sacrificial animals’ skins are lost by 33 percent. Many religious, political, social and welfare organizations collect the sacrificial animals’ skin, but majority of them do not possess the required storage facilities. Besides, while inexperienced skinning cut holes in the skin and even one hole in the skin reduces its value by 5 to 10 percent and another hole by 25 percent. Pakistan is the 5th largest skin producing country in the world and the sacrificial animals’ skins bear a special significance for the economy of our leather and skin industry.