All hat, no cattle: Prospective livestock buyers having a cow over high prices

‘Prices expected to go down as more animals expected later this month’.

LAHORE: Putting yourself through the paces for purchasing a sacrificial animal ahead of Eidul Azha may seem like a herculean task in itself. But the prices of livestock at the six sale points set up in the city may discourage many prospective buyers to even try negotiating a bargain.

With only two weeks left before Eidul Azha, high prices and shortage of sacrificial animals at the markets have kept many buyers at bay. According to city government statistics, around three million livestock were brought to the cattle markets in Lahore before Eidul Azha in 2013. This year, only a million animals have been brought to the markets so far.

A cow jumping out of a truck at the market at Saggian Pul (top) A prospective buyer checking the teeth of a camel at Shahpur Kanjran (above). PHOTOS: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS

Personal Staff Officer to DCO Tariq Zaman said they were expecting more livestock in the markets between September 26 and 29.

One of the reasons for the low number of livestock, Zaman said, was the recent floods that had swept away a lot of cattle in several parts of the province. “This is also the reason behind the high prices of animals this year.”

He said prices would go down once more animals were brought to the markets.

Six livestock markets in the city opened for business on September 22. The sale points have been set up at Bishmillah Housing Scheme on GT Road, Kahna Kacha on Ferozepur Road, at the Bankers’ Society on Kamahan Interchange, at Saggian Pul in Bilal Town and on Jannat Road.

The district offices of health and livestock have established camps at all six sale points. The Lahore Parking Company has also deputed officials there.

Cattle dealers expressed disappointment over the falling number of buyers. They said only a few hundred people visited the markets and a handful actually purchased animals.

The largest livestock market has been set up at Shahpur Kanjran, which is also the only cattle market in the city. Last year, the market was unable to accommodate the number of animals brought there to sell and the market was extended towards Multan Road. This year, however, the market is pretty much within the designated area.

A cow jumping out of a truck at the market at Saggian Pul (top) A prospective buyer checking the teeth of a camel at Shahpur Kanjran (above). PHOTOS: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS

Dealers at Shahpur Kanjran said buyers were mostly interested in purchasing billy goats. Last year, a healthy billy goat sold for between Rs40,000 and Rs50,000. This year, the average price of goats is Rs80,000. Several prospective buyers said attempts to negotiate a bargain fell flat as the cattle dealers refused to budge.

One of the prize billy goats at the market had a price tag of Rs100,000. The going rate for buffalos, each weighing between 200 kg and 280 kg, was between Rs150,000 and Rs200,000.

A cattle dealer, offering a prize buffalo weighing approximately 400 kg, was selling it for close to Rs400,000.

Muhammad Abbas, a dealer from Gujranwala who brought 10 buffalos to sell at Shahpur Kanjran, said they were selling cattle at high rates because the price of fodder had shot up recently. “There isn’t much we can do about it.”

Khalid Saeed, a livestock dealer from Mardan who has brought 20 camels to the cattle market, said a healthy medium-sized camel would cost around Rs0.17 million and a large healthy camel would cost around Rs0.25 million.

Manzoor Ahmad, who has brought five billy goats from Vehari to sell at Shahpur Kanjra, said he hoped that he could sell his goats in five or six days. He said that he was selling his goats at a reasonable rate and that buyers should consider the high cost of the animals’ upkeep while negotiating prices.

Bhola Gujjar, a prospective buyer from Suay Asal, said the prices were too high. “They’re beyond negotiation,” he said. “I am aware of how the livestock business works but these prices are not justified.” He said he had tried to negotiate the price of a camel but even the lowest amount the dealer was willing to accept was way out of his reach.

Muhammad Ali, who had come to Shahpur Kanjran from Anarkali to buy a goat, said he had visited three cattle markets so far and had decided to wait for prices to come down before buying a goat.

Faisal Shehzad, a resident of Chungi Amer Sidhu, had bought a buffalo for Rs67,000. He said he had to drive a hard bargain. “The dealer was asking for Rs110,000 for this buffalo. I told him I wouldn’t give him more Rs50,000 and then Rs60,000, but the dealer refused to budge. Just when I started walking away he called me back with an offer of Rs67,000... and that’s how I got my buffalo,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2014.