Buyers’ haven: If up for buying sacrificial animals, Swat is the place to be

Cattle prices down by 30% due to ban on export of cattle from Swat.

SWAT:

While the prices of sacrificial animals have soared across the country this year, the cattle markets in Swat are witnessing a welcoming but an uncanny trend. A survey revealed that prices of sacrificial animals in Swat have dropped by around 30 per cent this year, compared to last.

“The main reason that has led to the fall in cattle prices is the closures of the Pak-Afghan border,” said Zulfiqar, who sells sacrificial animals in a cattle market at Odigram. A large number of animals from across the country used to be smuggled into Afghanistan through the border pass, causing prices of cattle to spike, he explained.

Officials of the local government said that in addition to the ban on export of cattle to Afghanistan, export of sacrificial animals has also been banned between districts. It is due to these “calculated measures” that the prices of sacrificial have been controlled in Swat, the officials said.

Abdul Jalil, a buyer at the cattle market at Odigram, said another reason for the low rates of animals is that there is no tax commission system at this market. Another buyer, Saeed, who bought an ox for Rs45,000 from the market, said a large and healthy animal as the one be bought would have cost him around Rs60,000 last year. Whereas in cattle markets in major cities across the country, an ox of similar built would cost around Rs100,000, he added.

But while buyers have rejoiced in the reduction in cattle prices, the sellers have expressed their reservations. Zahir Khan, a local cattle dealer said he is being compelled to sell his animals for less due to the ban on export of cattle to Afghanistan or to cattle markets down country ahead of Eidul Azha.

But despite the cattle sellers’ reservations, the ban may be implemented next year as well, as locals have urged the government to continue the policy every year before Eidul Azha.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2012.