Like other parts of the country, the skyrocketing prices of sacrificial animals have forced the majority of the people in Gilgit-Baltistan to return empty handed from cattle markets. With Eid around the corner, the market still does not boast of a lot of buyers.
The cattle owners from Ghizer Valley brought their animals to Gilgit with the hope to sell them in the lucrative market, which was once thronged by buyers from all over the region.
“The price are so high, sacrifice this year is beyond my purchasing power,” said Masrood Wali, a school teacher who visited the cattle market in City Park on Saturday.
He said he visited all the markets in the city before coming to this market but failed to find an animal at a reasonable price.
“The minimum price they demand for a small animal is Rs10,000, which is unaffordable,” he added.
A survey conducted by The Express Tribune revealed that the prices of goats, sheep, cows and oxen have increased by upto 40 per cent this year.
According to a cattle dealer, Muhammad Abbas, the number of customers has decreased considerably this year. Illustrating the price hike, he said that he had bought an ox weighing 250 kilograms for Rs85,000 this year, compared to Rs60,000 last year.
“We bring the animals from far-flung areas and pay heavy transportation costs due to which we charge high prices to make ends meet,” he added.
Habibur Rehman, another dealer, said he had brought 40 animals but managed to sell only seven. However, he hoped that the remaining would be sold before Eid.
People also fear of being deceived or swindled by the cattle owners. Narrating an incident, Saeed Khan, a customer, said, “A cattle owner had demanded Rs10,000 for a goat weighing nearly 40 kilograms. When I asked the price of another goat of the same size, he demanded only Rs6,000.” The reason given for the 40 per cent difference in the prices was that the latter had not yet reached the age of maturity for sacrifice, which was strange, Khan added.
Meanwhile, the government has imposed a ban on transportation of animals outside of Gilgit. “We are carrying out vigilance on all entry and exit points to control cattle smuggling,” said a senior administration official.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2011.
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