High prices of sacrificial cattle this year have so far failed to attract intending buyers causing traditional enthusiasm associated with Eid ul Azha to dampen in the city this year. According to a survey, goats and other sacrificial animals are being sold at 60 to 70 percent higher rates this year than previous year.
Record scarcity of sacrificial animals is one of the major reasons attributed to high prices of animals. The buying activity is quite slow in livestock markets. A leading trader of animals, Saif Ur Rehman said that “super-rich brokers”, after buying animals from different rural areas of the province at low prices, have transported thousands of animals to Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkar to earn more profits. He said main reason behind this move was high prices of cattle in Karachi and exemption of Octroi and Zila taxes on sacrificial animals announced by the Sindh government.
Average price range of small sized goat is from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000, while medium sized and extra heavy animals cost around Rs 50,000, which may be as high as Rs 70,000 in some exceptional cases.
There is an estimated increase of rupees 15000 to 25000 per cattle as compared to last year’s price index.
Livestock is available for sale at sale outlets in different parts of city. Mian Zia Aftab and Sami Ur Rehman from WAPDA Town, Ashique Ali from Punjab Government Employees
Housing Society, Usman,Hamza and Saad Khan from Wafaqi Colony, during this survey said that their father Shahid Hussain will buy sacrificial animals one day ahead of Eid if the prices slide down somewhat.
Sami Ur Rehman, Huma, Beenish, and Burshra from Johar Town said their fathers visited the market thrice during last two days but due to inflated prices they didn’t make the purchase.
Manzoor Ahmad and Abdul Ghafoor, sellers from teshil Depalpur, who set up sale point on Ferozepur road, said that most of the intending buyers are visiting markets to assess the prices of animals and that very little sale has taken place so far. He termed the situation quite disappointing and discouraging.
Buyers hoped that the business activity will gain momentum on Thursday and Friday, the two days before Eid ul Azha.
