Eid-ul-Azha is just two days away, and the sale of sacrificial animals has picked up across the country, including at Chattogram's markets. There are enough cattle and goats, but buyers are not happy with the prices.

Bank officer Nazrul Islam told Jago News with some anger: "It's a tiny bull and they are asking Tk 1,20,000. I offered Tk 80,000, but that wasn't enough for the seller. Even two years ago such small cattle sold for Tk 50,000-60,000 at Eid."

Nazrul Islam is not alone. Most buyers who came to Chattogram's Sagarika market make the same complaint: traders are asking sky-high prices.

On Friday, 14 June, cattle weighing more than two maunds were being priced at Tk 1,10,000 to Tk 1,30,000 at Sagarika market, and cattle of five to six maunds or more at Tk 2.5 lakh to Tk 3 lakh.

Sellers say that because feed prices have risen, cattle cost Tk 20,000-30,000 more than last year. On top of that come extra costs such as khain rent (for the stake the animal is tied to) and transport.

Zafar Sadek, a garment factory official who came from the Sabujbagh residential area of Halishahar, bought a bull of nearly two and a half maunds for Tk 1,40,000. "By market standards, I got it cheap," he said.

Because Friday was a holiday, buyers came to Sagarika market from the morning in greater numbers than on other days. But the market is out of reach for the middle class, with traders asking more than Tk 1 lakh even for small cattle.

Three families from the Dewanhat area wanted to share one bull for sacrifice within Tk 80,000, but after nearly four hours of searching could not find one at that price. One of them, Abid Hasan, told Jago News: "I came with my co-sharers to buy a bull. To be honest, I am embarrassed now. There is no bull in the market within our budget."

Md Rubel brought 20 local cattle from Jhenaidah and has not sold one in three days. His cheapest bull, weighing about two maunds, is priced at Tk 1,30,000, while his most expensive, at Tk 2.5 lakh to Tk 3 lakh, may weigh five to six maunds, he said.

Shahadat Hossain of Chattogram is one of the traders who brought the biggest cattle to Sagarika market. He told Jago News: "I brought cattle priced from Tk 2.5 lakh to Tk 8 lakh. But buyers want to buy a Tk 2.5 lakh bull for Tk 1.5 lakh and offer Tk 5 lakh for an Tk 8 lakh one." He added: "There are hardly any cattle under Tk 1 lakh this time. Everyone is looking for small cattle at Tk 70,000-80,000, but there are none at that price. Buyers would gain by buying big cattle this time."

Mohammad Anwar, hasil manager at Sagarika market, said: "None of the cattle sold since the morning has gone for under Tk 1 lakh. Among those sold by midday, the highest price was Tk 3.5 lakh."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.