Bulletin

Despite the attempts by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to delay the ban further, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) said in a statement that, together with Social Compassion in Legislation and other interest groups, it has succeeded in putting the Californian legislation into force; sales of crocodile or alligator skins are to be effectively banned from the state as from January 1, 2020. 

The state of the hide market has been a buyer’s one for the best part of two years, with seemingly the balance tipping further towards the buyer as each new month goes by.

2019 has seen one, if not the largest harvest of beef in history. All the major beef producing nations are running at a high. U.S., Australia, Brazil, Argentina all report the same. 

As the clock ticks closer to the last shipping schedules, for hides to arrive prior to December 15, when the proposed tariff increases will come into play, then the more bullish tanners will feel. 

As of Saturday evening (September 21) it has been reported that most of the picket lines at slaughterhouses have stood down, with efforts being made for the few remaining pickets to follow suit. 

Those sales that have been concluded post the Shanghai trade fair are being reported as either slightly lower or stand-on in price, there have been no reported sales made at increased levels. 

The slaughter numbers remain high, on the back of increased demands for beef. China has been a driving force in beef demands and the margins being experienced by slaughterhouses has kept the pressure on farmers to continue to send their cattle in, they themselves receiving better returns than expected.

Once again abattoir prices have stood still, the length of time that prices have remained unchanged has enabled traders and suppliers, of both hides and skins to remain competitive in the market place, and add some margin to their product. 

Very little pickle is being produced in New Zealand this season, and in fact very little has been produced for most of 2019. 

Car sales continue to nose dive in all major countries, this pattern has been the case for over a year now. But what is more worrying, is that many of the manufactures are turning away from using leather in the interiors, even those that do still use leather, state that their short to medium term plans are to move away from leather.