Hyderabad: Madrasas have stopped the door-to-door collection of animal pelts during Id-uz-Zuha, owing to falling prices.
Muslims donated the pelt of the sacrificed animals to madrasas which used to sell them and use the funds for institutional costs.
"We are not benefiting in any way by collecting the pelts. We are unable to recover the cost spent on hiring men to go for the collection. There is the additional cost of hiring autorickshaws too", said Mr Hafeez Mohammed Kaleemuddin of Madrasa Babululoom at Vattepally.
He said they had spread the word around that people who wished to donate pelts could hand them over at the madrasas.
"Owing to the fall in prices and diminishing demand, we are unable to offer a good price to the madrasa managements. The hide of sheep is purchased at Rs15 to Rs 20 each while that of cattle is purchased for Rs 300 to Rs 400", said Mr Mohammed Abdul Khader Qureshi, general secretary, All India Jamiat ul Quresh, Telangana.
For decades, Islamic schools and big seminaries received donations in the form of sheep, goat, ram and cattle hide during Id-uz-Zuha. A few big seminaries get around Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 animal hides which are auctioned and money used for managing the institution.
"The madrasas get donations mostly during Ramzan and Id-uz-Zuha. Nowadays, we don't get good donations during Ramzan as the academic schedule of the schools have been starting at about the same time for the last few years and people have heavy expenditure. During Id-uz-Zuha we get donations in the form of animal pelts but sale prices are no longer attractive. A few madrasas are not accepting the animal hide", said Maulana Mohammed Salahuddin, general secretary, Islami Madaris Board, a city-based group with around 250 madrasas under its aegis.
Maulana Salahuddin explained that a few madrasas that used to get up to '4 lakh by the sale of animal pelts are now getting only Rs 40,000. "The situation has become so critical that we are now are moving around colonies and mosques seeking donations. Sometimes, we are forced to borrow money to meet immediate expenses", he said.
Those in the industry attribute the fall in prices to the downfall in global demand for leather with artificial leather becoming just as popular. "In India there is a ban on big tanneries in Uttar Pradesh and a few other states, due to its main agents no longer offering a good price", says Mr Nooruddin Qureshi, animal trader.
