Pindi's cattle markets wear a deserted look

Drop in consumers spending blamed on pandemic


Imran Asghar July 27, 2020

RAWALPINDI:

With consumers spending going down due to the Covid-19, the cattle markets set up for Eidul Azha are also presenting a desolated look.

The Express Tribune during a survey conducted on Thursday has learnt that the vendors of sacrificial animal have settled down in the cattle markets set up in the garrison city. However, they still anxiously wait for the influx of potential buyers when the Eidul Azha is nearly a week away.

The government has established three cattle markets on the outskirts of the city as a preventive measure against the coronavirus. These markets have been set up near Bhata Chowk and along Adyala and Chakri Roads.

The district administration has made proper arrangements for cleanliness in all three cattle markets too.

However, the strategy has ostensibly failed as the vendors are reluctant to pay heavy fees per animal while the citizens are not willing to travel far to purchase them.

16 cattle markets to be set up in Rawalpindi

The Express Tribune also learnt that most of the vendors traverse late night and stop at or near “illegal markets” where they likely strike deals. They are of the view that the entry fee and other expenses for occupying a space in the market are very high. Therefore, a vendor, Muhammad Bota, who has come to Rawalpindi from Mandi Bahauddin to offer his cattle for selling complained about very few customer in the markets. He added the entry fee for a cow is Rs3, 000 while Rs1, 000 has been fixed for a goat or sheep.

Muhammad Asif, who has recently purchased a sacrificial animal, told The Express Tribune that he had visited all three marketplaces but complained of less number of animals to choose from.

He added that the vendors in all three markets demanded very high prices.

Therefore, he visited one of the unauthorised markets in the Bagh Saradaran area and bought two healthy goats in his price range. He confirmed that many vendors come to these markets from the main markets during the night to sell their animals.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27th, 2020.

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