Traders and householders are preparing for Eid-ul-Azha at Gabtoli, Dhaka's only permanent livestock market, but cattle sales have not fully begun. With only five days to go before Eid, buyers are still comparatively few, and many are checking cattle prices and comparing them with market rates.

At the Gabtoli market on 23 May, traders were busy looking after their cattle. But many pens were still empty and not enough cattle had arrived. With few buyers, trading had not started.

Sellers said cattle that will give three maunds of meat are being offered at about Tk 1,05,000 to Tk 1,10,000, and those giving four maunds at Tk 1,40,000 to Tk 1,50,000. On average, the price per maund of meat is between Tk 32,000 and Tk 35,000.

So far, no buyer had been seen leaving the market with a cow. Visitors, YouTubers and journalists outnumbered buyers. People involved believe that because of a shortage of space to keep cattle in Dhaka, trading usually peaks two days before Eid.

Cloth trader Haji Miron Mia came from Mirpur Pallabi to look at cattle with his two children. He said that as every year he had come with a fixed budget for the sacrifice and was checking prices against it. "There is no chance to buy a cow now and keep it. Traders are asking somewhat high prices at the moment, but prices may fall a little just before Eid," he said.

As always, demand is highest for small and medium cattle, especially those giving 4 to 6 maunds of meat. For these, the meat is working out at about Tk 35,000 a maund on average.

Trader Shafi Biswas, from Damurhuda in Chuadanga, said: "I have brought 14 local bulls to Gabtoli. Each will give about 6 maunds of meat, and they are being offered at Tk 2,10,000 to Tk 2,20,000." He said buyers were very few. "Unless meat fetches Tk 35,000 a maund, we will make a loss. Cattle feed costs more than human food, and medicine and treatment costs have also risen a lot."

White Indian bullocks were also seen being brought in for sale at Gabtoli. These cattle were not brought directly from India recently but about one to one and a half years ago.

Traders said the cattle were just skin and bone when first brought into the country. They were gradually fattened on rice polish, khesari, maize, paddy and bran-mixed concentrate feed, and have now adapted to local conditions. Up to Tk 4 lakh is being asked for each, and sellers say each will give about 7 to 8 maunds of meat.

Lakshmipur trader Mohammad Belayet Hossain Majumdar said: "We brought cattle from India and fattened them on the farm. At first we bought only bones; now they have grown up in local conditions. These Indian bullocks are also comparatively cheaper than other cattle."

Asked what cattle prices would be like this Eid, Majumdar said: "Fresh grass is hard to get now and straw prices have gone up a lot. Labour, electricity bills, treatment and all other costs have risen. Making a profit is difficult this time. If we get our capital back, Alhamdulillah."

Sacrificial animal markets in various places have started to fill up, but both buyers and sellers are unhappy about prices. Buyers complain that animals are too expensive, while sellers say prices are low given that feed and all other costs have risen.

Abdur Rahim Bepari of Mollahat in Bagerhat brought 15 cattle to the market two days ago but has yet to find a buyer. "Nobody has even quoted a price. I've been sitting here for two days," he said.

Large cattle were kept right at the Gabtoli entrance, but few buyers visited those pens, where YouTubers and TikTokers outnumbered buyers.

Golap Kasai, a trader from Kushtia Sadar, said: "I have brought 25 cattle. Each will give about 5 maunds of meat, and they are being offered for up to Tk 1,75,000." He said meat normally stays within Tk 32,000 a maund, but at Eid it must reach Tk 35,000 for sellers to survive. "Eid cattle don't pay unless it's Tk 35,000 a maund. I have been coming to the market for three days but can't find many buyers."

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