Dhaka's cattle markets are gradually getting busier ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, with truckloads of cattle arriving every day from districts across the country. This year, though, the biggest pressure on the way in is transport. Traders say that because of higher fuel prices they are paying Tk 6,000 to Tk 8,000 more per truck than last year.

The extra cost has fed into cattle prices, so buyers end up paying more.

Visits to the Aftabnagar, Shahjahanpur and Kamalapur markets on Tuesday (26 May) showed truck after truck of cattle arriving and every market full. The talk now is of the unusual rise in truck fares. Traders say it has upset their profit calculations for buying cattle from farms and bringing them to Dhaka.

Traders fear that if even more cattle come to Dhaka at the last minute, the truck shortage could worsen and fares rise further. Some complained that the transport sector turns unstable every Eid season: with no fixed fare structure, drivers and owners raise fares to match demand.

Abdul Malek, who brought 12 cattle from Daulatpur in Kushtia, said: "A truck I hired for Tk 17,000 to 18,000 last year cost me Tk 24,000 this time. Since diesel prices went up, drivers will not come at the old fare. After buying the cattle, the transport cost is all I can think about."

Shahidul Islam, a trader from Singra in Natore, made the same complaint. Bringing cattle in a small truck used to cost about Tk 13,000, he said, but this year he paid up to Tk 19,000 for the same distance. "We do not raise cattle prices on purpose. But if costs rise, the pressure will fall on the market. Cattle prices are higher back home, and on top of that we are paying more to bring them to Dhaka. It is natural that this will affect prices," he said.

Rafiqul Sheikh, a trader from Chapainawabganj, said tolls, extortion and food costs on the road were there before, but with higher fuel costs added the situation had become harder. "The truck fare was Tk 8,000 more than last year. I brought 12 cattle on one truck. If the fare alone rises by Tk 8,000, work out how much extra falls on each animal," he said.

Jahangir Hossain, a trader from Ghior in Manikganj, said buying cattle from farms was also more expensive this year, and with transport costs up as well, it was not possible to sell in Dhaka at the old prices.

Sohel Mia, a young trader from Rajbari, said many traders were bringing fewer cattle to Dhaka this year to limit their risk. "Fares have risen so much that if sales do not go well, the loss will be big. If sales are good, more cattle may come and truck fares may rise further. We are more or less hostage to the truck drivers. We have to pay whatever fare they ask, because there is no fixed fare for trucks," he said.

Md Swapan, who brought 20 cattle from Sirajganj to the Aftabnagar market, said the truck fare was Tk 18,000 last year and Tk 24,000 this year, an increase of about Tk 500 per animal. Feed prices are also higher, he said, so cattle prices are higher than last year.

Truck drivers too say they were forced to raise fares. Md Selim, a driver who brought cattle from Pabna to the Aftabnagar market, said: "Since diesel prices went up, you cannot run a truck at the old fare. Bringing a truck to Dhaka now costs several thousand taka more. Spare parts, tyres and helpers' wages have all gone up, so we have to charge more."

Another driver, Abul Kalam, said traffic jams also added to costs. "Sometimes we are stuck on the road for hours, which burns more fuel. Carrying cattle also needs extra care. Altogether it is not possible to run at the old fare," he said.

Around the markets, transport costs are now coming up in talks with buyers. When sellers quote higher prices, many buyers ask why, and traders point to the higher truck fares.

Md Akkas Ali, who came to look at cattle at the Aftabnagar market, said medium-sized cattle seemed much more expensive than last year. "A cow that could be had for under Tk 1.4 lakh last year is being priced at almost Tk 2 lakh this year," he said.

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