Ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Azha, sacrificial animals have started arriving at the capital's Gabtali market, but trading has not really picked up. A few buyers are walking around looking at cattle, goats, buffaloes and other animals and checking prices. Traders have brought animals from different parts of the country and are waiting for buyers.

Trader Badal has come to Gabtali with 11 big cattle from Brahmanbaria. He is asking Tk 3 lakh to Tk 11 lakh for the Sahiwal and Holstein cattle, but has not sold a single one in three days. Abdullah, from Kushtia, is in the same position: he brought six cattle and none has sold in three days.

Only a few days remain until Eid, but trading at Gabtali, the capital's biggest animal market, has not yet got going. Some buyers come, check prices and leave. Sellers say the final gap between their price and buyers' offers is Tk 5,000 to Tk 10,000, while buyers complain that sellers are asking too much for small cattle.

On the afternoon of Friday, 14 June, traders at Gabtali were seen idling with their animals, while trucks were still bringing sacrificial animals from various districts.

Abdullah said: "I came to Gabtali with my cattle three days ago. I brought six, and not one has sold yet. Everyone hears the price and leaves." Pointing to a medium-sized local bull, he said: "I asked Tk 1,60,000 for this one. Buyers are offering Tk 1,10,000. One person said he would buy it for Tk 1,30,000, then said its teeth had not come through and left without buying."

Badal said people in Dhaka do not buy cattle so early because they have no room to keep them. "I hope trading will start from tonight," he said. He has brought 11 huge cattle, for which he is asking Tk 3 lakh to Tk 12 lakh depending on size. "There are buyers for big cattle too. I hope to get good prices," he said.

Sellers complain that while buyers offer Tk 5,000-10,000 less for medium cattle, they offer Tk 2-3 lakh less for big ones. Thandu Bepari, from Sirajganj, said: "I brought two Holstein cattle. I am asking Tk 22 lakh for one and Tk 10.5 lakh for the other. They are offering Tk 1-2 lakh less. Raising big cattle is a hardship now."

Asked why the prices are so high, he said raising foreign cattle is very expensive, costing Tk 3-4 lakh per animal, and maize and bran are very dear. "All in all, I am worried whether I will get a good price," he said.

Buffaloes, goats and sheep are more visible at Gabtali this year. Siraj Hossain, a trader from Munshiganj, was resting beside three pink buffaloes. "There are no buyers at the market. It hasn't got going. We will know when buyers come," he said.

Awal Bepari brought three buffaloes from Pabna, and two had sold by Friday afternoon. "I sold two for Tk 3 lakh, and another for Tk 1,20,000. There's one more, for which I'm asking Tk 2,10,000. I'll let it go for Tk 1,90,000," he said. He said animal prices are the same as last time and buyers are offering last year's prices, but the cost of raising cattle has risen, so there will be little profit. "I can't tell how the market will go, so I sold at a small profit," he said.

Zahid Rahman, a professional who came to buy a goat, said he was looking for a big goat and found one or two, but the price did not suit him: medium goats were being priced at Tk 40,000-50,000.

Goat trader Atiar said he brought 12 goats from Sirajganj, priced from Tk 8,500 to Tk 30,000, and two have sold.

Kamal, a buyer from Green Road, said: "I came in the morning. There are lots of cattle, and sellers are asking high prices. A bull that should cost Tk 1,20,000 is being priced at Tk 1,60,000."

Another buyer, Nasir, said: "I bought one bull for Tk 2,15,000 and will buy another. But it seems they are asking more this time. The prices they want are unrealistic. Maybe they will come down a little when more buyers arrive."

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