The Value of Hides and Skins

Abstract

The value of hides and skins sold overseas places these articles fourth on the list of raw materials exported from East Africa and only cotton, sisal and coffee earn greater combined incomes for the three mainland 'territories. The reason why this fact is not more widely appreciated is because hides and skins are byproducts Of animal industry with no seasonal or geographic concentration of production. In fact, the large majority are produced individually, at irregular intervals, by the many native cattle owners scattered over the tsetse free areas. Since they originate in such a dispersed manner, it is not surprising that the primary producer usually fails to relate the relatively small return for his individual hide or skin to the economic importance to East Africa of these same articles in bulk.