More than 150 animal markets are starting to fill up in Mymensingh ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, with farmers bringing cattle and goats from all over the district. But while supply is rising, buyers are comparatively few. Buyers say cattle prices are out of reach, while sellers are frustrated at not getting the prices they want.

That was the picture at Muktagachha's Notun Bazar animal market, one of the district's biggest, on Wednesday 20 May. Rows of cattle and goats filled the market from the morning. Some stood holding their cattle's ropes, others haggled with possible buyers, but the whole market was slow: many animals, comparatively few buyers.

A total of 152 permanent and temporary animal markets are held in Mymensingh for Eid under the supervision of the local administration and the city corporation. Muktagachha's Notun Bazar market is considered the district's biggest and main cattle market. Held every Wednesday, it sells small, medium and large local cattle as well as goats, and sellers bring large numbers of animals not only from local farms but from neighbouring upazilas.

Md Chan Mia of Tarati in Muktagachha upazila brought a black cow he bought five months ago for Tk 1 lakh 25 thousand. He has four cattle at home, but after rearing them for so long he is not getting the price he hoped for: buyers are offering only Tk 80,000. "I bought the cow for 1 lakh 25 thousand. After five months of rearing, they are now offering 80 thousand. Selling at that price would be a loss. And there are few buyers," he said.

Zahid Hasan of Dhamar in Phulbaria upazila brought a red bull that he had raised for Eid for about a year and is asking Tk 2 lakh 50 thousand. He said nobody had even made an offer all day. He told Jago News: "Cattle won't sell at today's market. I brought a bull and a cow. They are offering Tk 1 lakh 30 thousand for the cow; I want to sell it for 1 lakh 60 thousand. But nobody is making any offer for the bull. Lots of cattle have come to the market, but there are no buyers."

Md Swapan came from Hamidpur in Jamalpur Sadar upazila with two black bulls he had raised for about a year for Eid, asking Tk 3 lakh 20 thousand for one and Tk 2.5 lakh for the other. "The market is bad today. I've come from far away. If I get five lakh for the two together I'll sell. But I hope buyers will increase closer to Eid," he said.

Zahirul Islam of Palashtali in Phulbaria upazila raised 10 cattle at home. He brought three large bulls to Wednesday's market and sold two, one for Tk 2 lakh 20 thousand and the other for Tk 2 lakh 50 thousand. He is asking Tk 3 lakh 80 thousand for the third. "Sales are low," he said. "But the closer Eid comes, the more buyers there will be. Many haven't come yet because of lack of space and not being able to keep the animals."

Many buyers walked around looking at cattle but did not buy because the prices did not match. Habibur Rahman of Maijhati in the upazila was heading home with a grey, medium-sized bull that cost him Tk 54,000. "I've bought it to rear. It's good for the price. But it doesn't feel like an Eid market. Lots of cattle have come, but few people are buying," he said.

Jalilul Hasan Saikat of Ward 3 of Mymensingh City Corporation came to Muktagachha to buy a sacrificial animal. He prefers big cattle and was looking at Australian breeds as well as local cattle. He liked a black bull, but the asking price was Tk 1 lakh 80 thousand, while his budget was Tk 1 lakh 15 thousand to 1 lakh 20 thousand. He told Jago News: "More cattle have come to this market than the last one, but sales are low. With another market coming up, everyone is looking to that one."

Market leaseholder Tawsif Ibne Mannan said: "Buyers are few today. Those who will actually sacrifice haven't come yet. Wholesale traders are coming from far away to buy cattle and sell them at other markets. We hope sales will rise at the next market."

According to the district livestock office, there are 2 lakh 4 thousand 148 sacrificial animals in Mymensingh's 13 upazilas, against a demand of 1 lakh 81 thousand 266, which the office puts as a surplus of 44,882 animals. Cattle make up the largest share: 115,947 cattle, 103,966 goats, 5,344 sheep and 886 buffalo are ready for sacrifice in the district.

District livestock officer Mohammad Wahedul Alam told Jago News: "There are enough sacrificial animals in the country. So we are working to make sure no animals come in illegally from outside. We want farmers not to suffer losses and to get the right price."

The police are also working on the security of vehicles carrying sacrificial animals and on law and order at the markets. Mymensingh Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Md Abdullah Al Mamun said: "We are working to make sure vehicles carrying sacrificial animals are not held up anywhere or harassed. To stop criminal gangs and the spread of counterfeit money, plainclothes police have been deployed at the markets along with uniformed officers."

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