Study on Marketing Practices of Skin and Hides in Larkana District of Pakistan

The present study was carried out to study the marketing practices of skin and hides in Larkana district of Pakistan. Results of present study indicated that in taluka Larkana, almost (100%) of the livestock keepers sell their hides and skins to district market. Whereas, (100%) of them sell their hides and skins to collection centers in taluka Ratodero, Bakrani and Dokri. Majority of the butchers keep the animals inside house until they are slaughtered in all talukas and rest of the keeping the animals outside house until they are slaughtered in taluka Ratodero and Dokri. Most of the respondents (100%) stated that hides and skins are important for cash income in all talukas. In all talukas of the district, majority of respondents used freshness of hides and skins criteria for buying them. 75.00%, 100%, 100% and 100% respectively of the respondents noticed physical defects such as absence of flay cuts for determination of best selling price of goat skins in all talukas. 50%, 100%, 100% and 100% respectively of the collection centers purchased hides and skin in the last three months from middlemen in all four talukas. Almost (100%) of the collection centers have opinion that the most dominant reasons for purchasing hides and skins was low price offer in all four talukas. 100% of the respondents stated that the market price varies from season to season in all four talukas. Most of the respondents believed that the major reason for variation in market prices of skins and hides from season to season might be due to factory/tannery price variation / setting. In conclusion, the respondents facing many impediments in marketing of skin and hides in district larkana. The major constrains faced by butchers are administrative problems, poor quality of skin and hides, storage, transportation facility, lack of handling skin and hides.

Keywords: Animal byproducts, Economic value, Marketing, Perception. Skin damage.