Raw materials


Extracts from the Hidenet World Reports


Argentina


Bovine slaughter during Q4 2022 was 3.489 million total head. This is just 0.7% lower than Q3, or a loss of 22,908 head. Compared with Q4 2021, slaughter was up by 5.5% or around 180,834 more. In February, the government proposed eliminating the restrictions and tariffs on the export of salted hides. The Ministry of Economy said it wanted to allow bovine slaughter establishments to market pieces directly abroad without first processing them through a tannery. While the measure goes against adding value to the country’s industry, the high level of hide stocks and tanneries not absorbing them was creating economic and environmental issues. Raw material prices were stable throughout most of March, with steers at $0.43/kg, cows at $0.29 and heifers at $0.48.


Australia


Wet-blue ox prices increased during Q1 2023. Grade A selections at 23–27kg were selling $2.00 higher at $55.00 per


piece, as were selections at 18–23kg at $48.00. Australian slaughter totals were close to being capped by the supply of labour available in the meat plants. Overall, industry sources say slaughter capacity will now control the cattle market more than export meat prices and demand do.


The Australian cattle industry is expected to continue its strong herd rebuild in 2023 and Australian beef supply is expected to recover after falling to the lowest level in 25 years in 2021 and in 2022. This is according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. With the support of increased female slaughter, it is expected that overall cattle slaughter, beef production and beef exports will all rise in 2023.


Bangladesh


Leather footwear exports from Bangladesh in the first eight months of the current fiscal year rose just


4.12% between July 2022 and February 2023. Leather exports were far worse, dropping by 8.87%. Industry figures blame the economic effects of the Russia-Ukraine war. Data from the Export Promotion Bureau shows that leather product exports were up


Leather International / www.leathermag.com 0.80 –


Argentine steer raw hides 1.25 –


1.00 – 0.75 – 0.50 – 0.25 – 0 – 0


1020304050 Weeks


by 22.23% at $246.07m. By contrast, leather exports dropped by 8.87% to $77.27m. Total earnings for leather footwear were $458.59m.


Benelux


Bull prices in the Benelux area fluctuated in March, eventually ending up where they were in our last report.


Weights of 30–39kgs were selling at €1.05–1.10/kg and selections weighing 40–49kg were selling for €1.10– 1.15. Prices are for delivery to northern Italian tanneries on a 30-day payment plan.


Brazil


The price of Brazilian raw material was on the rise in late February and early March thanks to the lack of


slaughter. The suspension of beef exports to China –


Brazil TR1 1.30 –


1.05 –


2021 2020


2022 2023


2021 2020


2022 2023


0.55 –


0.30 – 0


1020304050 Weeks


25


Price ($)


Price ($)


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