At the temporary cattle market in Dhaka's Dholaikhal area, many traders were still not finding the buyers they hoped for at the last minute before Eid-ul-Azha. Rows of cattle filled the market but buyers were relatively few, leaving traders worried they would not sell. Many buyers went home with sacrificial cows bought for Tk 35,000 to Tk 50,000.

After dusk on Wednesday (27 May), traders were seen sitting with their cattle's ropes in hand, waiting for buyers. Some walked their animals from one end of the market to the other; others complained they could find no buyer even after cutting prices. Some tried to leave the market with their cattle, but the leaseholders would not let animals out.

In the evening a buyer named Md Jewel was leading away a small cow he said he had bought for Tk 35,000, and he was pleased. "I bought it for the sacrifice. Whether I was cheated or got a bargain does not matter much. But prices seem quite low in the market today," he told Jagonews.

Firoz, who bought a cow for Tk 40,000, said prices were low that day and he was glad. Hasan, who paid Tk 49,000, said: "Cattle prices are quite low today. We are very happy to buy at this price. We will take it to Nayabazar."

A buyer who paid Tk 80,000 for a medium-sized cow said prices had suddenly fallen sharply. "Traders are asking much less today than yesterday. We bought for Tk 80,000 a cow for which they were asking more than Tk 1.4 lakh yesterday," he said.

A woman who brought goats from Keraniganj said buyers were offering far too little. "It is not possible to sell so cheaply, so I am trying to take the goats away. But those in charge of the market will not let me. They say goats cannot be taken out yet," she said.

Baten Sheikh, who brought six cows from Kushtia, said: "I have been at the market for two days. Feed, labour and transport costs keep rising, but there are hardly any buyers. People just look, ask the price and leave. I cannot sell even after cutting the price."

"Buyers are offering around Tk 1 lakh for a cow I bought for Tk 1.5 lakh. It is impossible to sell at such a loss. If God has written hardship in my fate, there is nothing to be done. If I cannot sell, I will take the cattle back home," he said.

Another trader from Manikganj said traders who brought cattle to Dhaka this year had been badly caught out. "Cattle worth Tk 80,000 to 90,000 are being sold by some for Tk 50,000 to 60,000. Most traders are making losses this year," he said.

"Many people are happy to buy cheaply, but nobody understands that traders like us are being ruined. If losses go on like this, many will quit the business," he said.

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