Only four days remain before Eid-ul-Azha, one of the main religious festivals of Muslims. Ahead of Eid, traders have already brought cattle and goats from different parts of the country to the capital's temporary markets. This year, however, they are asking much higher prices for sacrificial cattle: Tk 6,000 to 7,000 more per maund than last year.

Traders say sacrificial cattle sold for about Tk 27,000 to 28,000 a maund last year, while this year they are asking Tk 34,000 to 35,000 a maund. Bargaining may shift the price a little, but buyers will have to pay Tk 6,000 to 7,000 more per maund than last year.

They blame higher cattle feed prices and a smaller supply of cattle. Beef is selling for about Tk 800 a kg in Dhaka's markets, and collecting cattle from villages costs extra. All of this together has pushed prices up.

Traders began bringing sacrificial animals to the capital's temporary markets last Thursday, but sales have not yet picked up. They expect the main buying to begin on Tuesday. Those coming to the markets now are buying small cattle; there are few buyers for large ones.

At Meradia market in the capital, traders had brought cattle from different parts of the country. Some had collected cattle from villages, but most had brought animals from their own farms. Small and medium cattle are plentiful at the market, while large cattle are few.

Traders are asking Tk 1.2 lakh to Tk 1.6 lakh for small cattle and Tk 2 lakh to Tk 2.5 lakh for medium ones. Cattle priced at Tk 4 to 5 lakh are also available at the market.

Md Rabiul, who brought cattle from Pabna to Meradia market, said prices are higher this year and cattle are selling at Tk 34,000 to 35,000 a maund, against Tk 27,000 to 28,000 last year. Asked why, he said all cattle feed costs more this year and the supply of cattle is also smaller.

On sales, he said: "Three of us brothers have brought 17 cattle. We brought them to the market last Thursday and so far one has been sold. Buyers are coming, hearing the price and leaving. We hope sales will start from next Monday or Tuesday."

Ashraful, who brought cattle from Jhenaidah, said prices are higher than last year and buyers will spend Tk 6,000 to 7,000 more per maund. Because of the high prices, buyers are turning to small cattle. "We have brought one large cow and 11 small and medium ones. Everyone coming to the market now wants to know the price of small cattle," he said.

He blamed the much higher cost of feed, the higher prices paid to collect cattle from villages, beef selling at about Tk 800 a kg in Dhaka and high meat prices in villages too, as well as higher transport costs this year.

Habibur Rahman, who brought cattle from Chuadanga, said they had brought 22 cattle, large and small. They are asking Tk 5.5 lakh for the biggest, which will yield 10 maunds of meat, and Tk 4 lakh for a slightly smaller one. Small cattle are priced at Tk 1.3 lakh to Tk 1.6 lakh and medium ones at Tk 2 lakh to Tk 2.5 lakh.

He said buyers are mostly asking about small cattle because of the high prices. "So far we have sold two cattle, both small. People come and look at the large ones but hardly bargain. We expect the main sales to start on Tuesday, and hope we will find buyers for the large cattle then," he said.

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