Selling began today at Chattogram's cattle markets, but the familiar bustle has yet to build. Traders have started arriving from Chattogram and other parts of the country, yet no sales have begun; visitors are mostly looking around and taking pictures on their mobile phones.
That was the scene at Bibir Hat, the second-largest animal market in Chattogram city. Trading at the city's Qurbani markets formally began on Saturday (8 June), but the city's eight markets saw little activity on the first day. Bamboo poles and tarpaulins were still being put up, even as truckloads of cattle arrived from different districts. Sellers are now waiting for buyers.
Prices a little higher than last year
Traders and lease-holders at the city markets said cattle prices were somewhat higher than last year. So far, local breeds make up most of the cattle that have arrived. They expect the markets to fill with animals by Monday and Tuesday, when prices should also come down.
Trader Mohammad Abdul Monaf arrived at Bibir Hat yesterday with 10 cattle from Baliapara in Kushtia. "I have not been able to sell a single animal in two days," he said. "Most people are coming only to check prices. They will look around now and start buying from Monday or Tuesday. Buyers in Chattogram buy their cattle a little late."
He said he was asking Tk 10 lakh for his best animal, and planned to sell the rest for between Tk 2 lakh and Tk 4 lakh each.
Ten markets, one lakh animals expected
For the coming Eid-ul-Azha, 10 animal markets have been set up in Chattogram city this year, three permanent and seven temporary. The lease-holders hope traders will bring at least one lakh sacrificial animals from different regions, alongside locally fattened livestock.
Traders have been bringing sacrificial animals to the markets from across the country for the past few days. Truckloads of cattle arrived again last night, and this will continue until the day before Eid.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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