Sky-high prices keep animal buyers at bay

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Dozens of men with flocks of sacrificial animals have stormed the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, but the buying activity is yet to gain momentum.

With Eid-ul-Azha just around the corner, the enthusiasm for buying animals for sacrifice is yet to be witnessed for a number of reasons.

The sky-high prices of animals keep the buyers at bay. In the absence of a regulator, people are at mercy of clever business-minded sellers. Despite the low-buying trend in markets, the rigid attitude of the sellers is quite amazing.

“The prices are illogical and unjustifiable,” said a buyer after facing a rude refusal against his demand, at G-11 market.

The greenbelt of Sector G-11 is used as a marketplace for sacrificial animals.

The prices are, of course, higher than last year’s. The people concerned said increasing exports of beef and mutton to the Middle East have caused shortage of animals in the local markets. They said the prices are high mainly because of small numbers of animals in the local markets, compared to last year’s.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) always specifies the thinly populated area of Sector G-11 for the sale of animals. However, the authority does not have any criterion to regulate the prices of animals to benefit both the buyers and sellers.

This time the price of an average-size goat starts from Rs 6,000 and after tough bargaining one can get discount of a few hundred rupees only, and the price of an average-size cow starts from Rs 12,000.

It has been witnessed that people are more interested in buying cows instead of goats, for two obvious reasons. First, one can buy a cow for a reasonable price compared to goats. Secondly, it has more meat than a goat.

Nowadays there is a new practice of buying animals after Eid prayers. “After the prayer there has always been a sharp decline in the prices. Besides, there is no problem of keeping animals for those who live in small apartments,” said a buyer.

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