Slow trading continues through June

The big slowdown in Ireland continued throughout June and it is anticipated to last well into August. Cattle weights for the carcases were lower resulting in a lighter average weight for hides.   There was much confusion in the marketplace due to a rumoured increase in import duty of 10% in China which was not expected to be reclaimable by the importer. This led to much discussion among buyers and sellers about wholesale renegotiation of US hides that had been sold to China.   The announcement by Natuzzi regarding the reduction in working time at their plants in Italy has further fuelled the fires of gossip allied to doom and gloom.   All in all tanners are reporting short to very short order positions and the combination of these factors is putting severe pressure on the marketplace even in times of short supply.   Those hide producers, whose main customer base is Italy, are reporting market claims on every load. For once currency values are not a factor in the current situation.   As usual the doom and gloom merchants have donned their sack cloth and ashes and are wailing in the corner. Are things that bad? I don't think so as there are no 36kg+ sitting around in stock. Certainly lighter hides are under a little more pressure but they usually are at this time of the year anyway. Time will tell as to who is right.   Prices at the first week of July were as follows   36kg+ ……...................................................... 80p   31/35.5 …...................................................…. 90p   26/30.5 …….................................................. £1.00   22/25.5 …..................................................… £1.08   Cows were £28.50 but difficult to move.   Lambskin prices edged forward in June with sizes getting bigger as the season progressed and the gap between English doubleface and Irish doubleface began to widen. Irish went for £4 and English for £3.60.