Lull prevails in market before Eid

Buyers wait for rates to fall further

ISLAMABAD: The federal capital’s main cattle market on Thursday saw slow trading of animals as majority of the buyers were seen leaving the venue empty-handed in a hope the prices would go down in the coming days.

During a visit to the market set up by the Capital Development Authority at I-12, slow trading of animals was observed due to exorbitant prices. The people complained that the prices of sacrificial animals were too much high as compared to last year.

The prices had been increased by over 30 per cent. Cows or bulls, which were available for Rs80,000 last year, were now priced at Rs110,000. Similarly, the prices of goats with average weight had increased to Rs60,000from Rs30,000 last year.

Muhammad Asif, who was surveying the market for an affordable goat, said that observing the ritual of sacrifice has seemed to become a dream for the common man due to high prices of animals this year.

Another buyer Mazhar, a resident of Shams Colony, said he would wait till the last day before Eid when the prices of animals might come down.

Kabeer Ali, who was at the market to sell a bull, said the contractor was charging Rs1,200 for a bull and cow, and Rs700 for a sheep and goat, besides payment for purchasing water from tankers.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2017.