Supply and demand: Sacrificial animal prices drop on eve of Eid
Vendors blame heavy rains for low sale
A family celebrates purchase of their camels for Eid near Thokar Niaz Beg. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS
LAHORE:
Prices of sacrificial animals dropped by up to 20 per cent a day before Eidul Azha on Thursday as livestock vendors said they were unable to sell their stocks due to heavy rains in the city.
During a visit to various cattle markets, a large number of late shoppers were seen cashing in on the reduced prices. The district government has set up seven cattle markets at Shahpur Kanjran, Manawan, the Punjab University Housing Society, Kahna, Kamaha Interchange and near Saggian Bridge.
An average goat earlier being sold for Rs25,000 to Rs30,000 was being offered for between Rs20,000 and Rs28,000 on Thursday. The average price of bulls had dropped to Rs 65,000 and that of camels to Rs80,000.
Muhammad Bukhsh, a livestock breeder in Shahpur Kanjran, said he had brought 160 animals from Sargodha. “I have so far sold only 90,” he told The Express Tribune. He said a nearly 20-hour rain spell had affected the sales.
“Vendors faced problems in providing shelter for their animals during the rain,” he said. Knee-deep rainwater in some of the cattle markets was keeping buyers from visiting those, Bukhsh said.
Sharafat, a livestock vendor roaming around in Johar Town with half-a-dozen goats, said he was trying his luck in the streets because he had not got a good price in the cattle markets. “I am a small breeder from Okara. I cannot afford to take the animals back and sell them to butchers after Eid.”
He said he was hoping to sell his goats at a price that would let him recover his expenses, including the freight cost. He said the authorities had done little to help them.
Livestock Department Deputy District Officer Rahat Ali said the department had formed mobile veterinary dispensaries and set up special booths at the markets to provide free treatment to animals. “We are giving low-potency medicines to the sick animals to avoid an impact on their meat. We cannot give them high-potency medicines,” Ali said.
Imran Siddiqui, a potential buyer, said that he had visited three cattle markets and found the prices going down. “I am hoping to make a good deal if I buy an animal on the Eid day,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2015.
Prices of sacrificial animals dropped by up to 20 per cent a day before Eidul Azha on Thursday as livestock vendors said they were unable to sell their stocks due to heavy rains in the city.
During a visit to various cattle markets, a large number of late shoppers were seen cashing in on the reduced prices. The district government has set up seven cattle markets at Shahpur Kanjran, Manawan, the Punjab University Housing Society, Kahna, Kamaha Interchange and near Saggian Bridge.
An average goat earlier being sold for Rs25,000 to Rs30,000 was being offered for between Rs20,000 and Rs28,000 on Thursday. The average price of bulls had dropped to Rs 65,000 and that of camels to Rs80,000.
Muhammad Bukhsh, a livestock breeder in Shahpur Kanjran, said he had brought 160 animals from Sargodha. “I have so far sold only 90,” he told The Express Tribune. He said a nearly 20-hour rain spell had affected the sales.
“Vendors faced problems in providing shelter for their animals during the rain,” he said. Knee-deep rainwater in some of the cattle markets was keeping buyers from visiting those, Bukhsh said.
Sharafat, a livestock vendor roaming around in Johar Town with half-a-dozen goats, said he was trying his luck in the streets because he had not got a good price in the cattle markets. “I am a small breeder from Okara. I cannot afford to take the animals back and sell them to butchers after Eid.”
He said he was hoping to sell his goats at a price that would let him recover his expenses, including the freight cost. He said the authorities had done little to help them.
Livestock Department Deputy District Officer Rahat Ali said the department had formed mobile veterinary dispensaries and set up special booths at the markets to provide free treatment to animals. “We are giving low-potency medicines to the sick animals to avoid an impact on their meat. We cannot give them high-potency medicines,” Ali said.
Imran Siddiqui, a potential buyer, said that he had visited three cattle markets and found the prices going down. “I am hoping to make a good deal if I buy an animal on the Eid day,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2015.