Qurbani just a few clicks away

Apps offer doorstep delivery, cash on delivery

LAHORE:

Dozens of mobile apps and websites have mushroomed to facilitate online purchase and sale of sacrificial animals ahead of Eidul Azha.

Most of these platforms are offering doorstep delivery, cash on delivery and online payment facility besides donation of the meat of the sacrificial animals for people in the country and abroad.

An online survey revealed that the provincial government-backed Bakra Mandi Online, developed by the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) in collaboration with the Lahore Division Cattle Market Management Company (LDCMMC), and several private sector-run apps are major players in online sacrificial animals trade.

It showed that the biggest free advertisement website and retail trading platform, popular social media website Facebook and dozens of unpopular websites are being used for cattle trading in the country. Some major retail outlets are also offering online animal buying and slaughtering services.

All these websites and mobile apps have a common branding and marketing strategy based on health concerns, as most websites and apps are targeting users by highlighting safety and social distancing messages to avoid contracting coronavirus. However, these online trading platforms are greatly helping overseas Pakistanis who want to donate the meat of the sacrificial animals to charities helping the needy in the country or delivery to their families.

Some online trading platforms have also tied up with local charity organisations for direct donations. Besides these online sacrificial trading platforms, popular charity organisations are also trying to attract the maximum number of donations for underprivileged and poor families.

The online survey highlighted that all the platforms have posted specifications, like age, colour, breed, weight, along with picture and location of the animals.

The average price for the small sacrificial animal has been fixed between Rs28,000 and Rs70,000 for goat and Rs25,000 and 45,000 for sheep at these platforms. Similarly, cows and bulls are being offered for Rs60,000 to Rs250,000 depending on weight and physical appearance of the animal. A limited number of online platforms are also offering camels with prices ranging between Rs120,000 and Rs200,000.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, an online shopper Amir Chughtai said thanks to technology earlier citizens bought clothes, shoes, accessories and home appliances online and now online sacrificial animal sale is getting popular.

“I generally buy garments and gadgets online. I bought garments and shoes for my entire family online on Eidul Fitr owing to coronavirus induced lockdown. However, I never experienced the purchase of sacrificial animal online because I believe it’s a tricky trade as you do not know about the seller belonging to some rural area,” he pointed out.

Another citizen, Raheel Ahmad, who bought a bull through an online advertisement, shared that though he always buys sacrificial animal by visiting the market this year his family insisted upon him to find some animal online.

“I saw several sacrificial animals’ websites and advertisements before selecting one brown bull. After watching an ad on Facebook, I contacted the seller through WhatsApp who sent me different pictures of the animal. I started negotiating price on phone but locked the deal after visiting a private farm on the outskirts of the city. I thoroughly checked the animal before making the payment since it is a religious matter and a little fault in an animal could waste all efforts,” he mentioned.

An OLX seller, Malik Kamran, told The Express Tribune that he has his own cattle farm near Kahna. “Earlier, we were selling sacrificial animals in cattle markets or through street vendors.

This year, owing to Covid-19, the government has imposed restrictions on street selling and strict protocols for cattle markets and that is why we are using online platforms and some mobile apps to attract customers. For the convenience of buyers, we share our farm location through WhatsApp. Alhamdulillah, we are getting a good response and are hopeful to exhaust all the stock before Eidul Azha,” he maintained.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2020.