Samiul Islam lives in Gendaria. This time he bought a cow at the Gabtoli cattle market for Tk 2 lakh 90 thousand. He says a cow of this size cost almost a lakh taka less last year. Prices are much higher this time, and even so, cattle traders and householders are reluctant to sell.

"This time I bought a cow for Tk 2 lakh 90 thousand. The price is much higher than before. A cow that cost Tk 1.5 lakh last time is now being sold for Tk 2.5 lakh to Tk 3 lakh. Cattle prices are much higher this time," Samiul said.

Shamsher Bepari stood in the middle of the Gabtoli market with a cow that will yield three maunds of meat. He brought it from Daulatpur in Kushtia and was asking Tk 1 lakh 20 thousand. Buyer Saidur Rahman from Mirpur offered Tk 1 lakh, but Shamsher Bepari would not sell. Yet going by the market price of meat, the cow should be worth Tk 80,000 to 90,000.

Seeing this, another buyer named Shahidul said: "Cattle prices are high this time. Traders and householders are clinging to their cattle. Even when we offer what by our reckoning is a fair price, they won't let the cattle go."

Abdul Mannan, a businessman, spent two days going round the market looking for a cow to suit his budget and taste. "Cattle prices are much higher than last time. Sellers are asking higher prices for sacrificial animals on the pretext that cattle feed is getting dearer. I bought a cow; if you calculate it by meat, it comes to Tk 1,200 to 1,300 a kg," he said.

A visit to the market found that sellers were asking Tk 5,000 to 7,000 more per maund than last year. Small cattle of two to two and a half maunds that sold for Tk 60,000 to 65,000 last year are now priced at more than a lakh taka. Sellers say livestock feed is dearer, beef is dearer, and the prices of various household essentials have risen again and again; all of this has affected the Qurbani market.

Anis Bepari of Chuadanga has brought 65 cattle to the market this time. Each will yield four to nine maunds of meat, and a four-maund animal is priced at Tk 1 lakh 80 thousand.

Anis told Jago News that in a year the price of beef had risen by almost Tk 150 a kg. "On meat alone, one maund (40 kg) costs more than Tk 6,000 extra. On top of that, cattle feed and human food are dearer too. All in all, cattle are dearer even at local markets. We had to buy cattle of two and a half to three maunds at local markets for Tk 73,000 to 75,000, plus another Tk 2,000 per animal in transport. If I don't make some profit on each cow, my wife won't stay at home," he said.

Traders and householders hope big buyers will come to the market on Friday and Saturday and that cattle will fetch good prices then. That is why they are holding on to their animals.

Abul Bepari brought 50 cattle to Gabtoli from Kushtia and has sold only five, leaving 45. He hopes prices will rise towards the end.

"The cattle business is like a lottery. I've made big losses in the last few years. If need be I'll make a loss this time too, but I won't sell cattle for next to nothing. I hope all the cattle at the market will sell on Friday and Saturday," Abul Bepari said.

There are, however, almost no Indian cattle at the market. A few white Indian bullocks were seen. These came from India a year or six months ago, and farmers and traders have raised them and now brought them to market. Each white bullock that will yield 15 to 16 maunds of meat is priced at Tk 8 to 10 lakh.

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