Expert butchers in short supply on Eid

PESHAWAR:

As usual the expert butchers are not only in short supply on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha but they are also charging exorbitant amounts in the city.

Experienced butchers are charging as high as Rs15,000 to Rs18,000 for the first day of Eid for a cow as most of the wealthy people prefer sacrifice on the first day of Eid.

“For a cow or buffalo they are demanding as high as Rs15-18,000 which is really really high and out of the reach of a white collar persons,” said a local resident while talking to The Express Tribune, adding that experienced butchers were demanding Rs10,000 for a sheep or goat.

“The sacrificial animals are not cheap these days and the butchers too are expensive. They argue that those people who can afford the buy of Rs100,000 cow can easily afford spending another Rs18,000,” he said, adding that this had forced most people to book their butchers for the second day of eid for the sake of affordability.

Read More: Nation celebrates another Eid under Covid shadow

“On the second day, you have to spend Rs10,000 for a cow and Rs5,000 for a sheep and there is further reduction in the prices on the third day,” he said, adding that to meet the market demand most of the Afghan people offer their services as butchers but they are not experienced butchers who take a long time to handle the animals.

“The inexperienced Afghan butchers are a good alternative for the poor people. They charge half the price but they too are not easily available,” he said.

Another local Rustam told The Express Tribune that in the good old days, people themselves had to slaughter their animals but with the passage of time now people were too lazy to do it.

“All the expert butchers have to be booked in advance with advanced payment too these days,” he said, adding that they also demand meat along with money.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2021.