CAIRO: If your Eid Al-Adha sacrifice has left a dent in your wallet, don't despair. Chances are you can take a little of it back by selling the sheep skin and intestines. The leather trade is known to boom during this season; particularly after Muslims have ended the traditional sacrifice of sheep and calves and distributed the meat to the less fortunate. It is during this time that leather traders line up along the sidewalks to buy sheep and calves' skins a few hours after the meat has been spent. In Cairo, dealers are mostly stationed along the Corniche and particularly in Al Malek Al Saleh area that leads to the madabegh, the heart of the local leather industry. As you drive around the area, you'll see piles upon piles of skins on the sidewalks. Mule-drawn carts and pickups also ship loads of them to leather factories for processing. On the ancient wall of Megra Al Oyoon some dealers mark their presence by flashing large shiny skins they hang on the wall. They didn't seem bothered by the bad weather conditions and the rain that muddied the roads during the first two days of Eid. "Don't look down on us, scolded Abdou, one dealer. " The jackets, shoes, gloves you're wearing are because of this. The famous Italian brands that sell for hundreds depend on this, he added as people passed by sniffing the bloodstained skins in disgust. "The delicate layer of fat on the skin is essential in manufacturing gelatin, informed Amer, a dealer's assistant. "This gelatin is used in making sweets, lubricants and many other products, he said. "As for the bowels, their fibers are a main component for the manufacture of ropes and musical cords, added Amer. According to dealers, a single sheepskin goes for LE 17, a male calf's is for LE 170 and a female calf's skin costs LE 100. Although it's a fraction of the animal's value before it is slaughtered, there is always a chance to haggle and beat prices. "Wholesalers collect large quantities of these skins and sell them collectively to make a significant profit, said Khalid Goha, a dealer. "We sometimes buy them at the mosque where people offer them for charity. This year dealers were scrutinizing the skins carefully since some allegedly had infections that automatically reduce their value. "If the skin is diseased or torn, we can't use it properly and it is usually sorted as second grade, explained Mostafa, a dealer who also owns a leather factory. These skins are exported to many countries including Italy, Germany and England.
