Cattle price dips for lack of buyers

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Prices of cattle were found comparatively lower yesterday in cattle markets in the capital as the supply of sacrificial animals was much higher than their demand.

Although more prospective buyers turned out yesterday afternoon at 10 temporary cattle markets leased out by the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), sales did not pick up as expected by the traders.

Later at night, sales were escalating and the traders expected the trend to gain momentum and continue throughout today, the day before the second largest religious festival of Muslims.

The DCC temporary markets were heavily crowded with sacrificial animals yesterday afternoon and a large number of animals were seen stabled way outside the approved area of the markets.

Many areas of the capital yesterday experienced severe traffic congestions as a huge number of trucks loaded with sacrificial animals were seen parked or stranded in the surrounding areas of the markets. Unauthorised and haphazard cattle markets set up at various other locations in the city also added fuel to the problem.

Animal traders yesterday claimed that they were selling the animals at lower prices compared to the prices the animals were sold last year. Almost half the people commented on the animal prices said the prices were higher this year while the other half said the opposite.

Many animal traders claimed that even though they did not have to make payments to extortionists this year, the cost of transporting the animals to the markets did not get cheaper due to the rise in truck rental fare. Oil price increase and unavailability of trucks have led to the truck rental hike, they added.

Kutubuddin, a cattle trader from Roumari in Kurigram, said this year he had to pay Tk 26,000 in truck fare to get to Dhaka from Kurigram, as opposed to Tk 16,000 last year.

Making trips to different cattle markets yesterday, it was found that comparing to the larger cattle, the demand for small and mid-sized ones were higher, leading to a rise in their prices.

Goats have also been selling at higher prices this year, said the traders.

Bhola, a trader from Kushtia, was asking Tk 4.5 lakh yesterday for a large size bull at Gabtoli Cattle Market. He did not accept a Tk 2.7-lakh offer for the animal from a prospective buyer yesterday and since no one has offered to buy it yet, he would now sell it for Tk 2.8 lakh, he added with frustration.

Another cattle trader said he usually sells large size cattle and he sold most of the animals to political leaders, businessmen or industrialists during previous Eids, but this year he could not sell any of the cattle yet. “The prices I’m being offered for the animals this year do not even cover my expenses,” he added.

Trader Sona Mian who brought six middle-sized cattle from Singair of Manikganj said he was offered Tk 31,500 for one of the cattle on Tuesday, but he turned down the offer asking Tk 38,000 for it. “But today, I sold that same animal for Tk 27,500, fearing a fall in price,” Sona Mian said adding that he has incurred a loss of Tk 5,000 in that transaction as his expenses to raise cattle has doubled during the past one year, especially due to the price hike of cattle feed.

Demand for larger animals have dropped this year as a large number of their main buyers, politicians and businessmen, are either arrested or are on the run after the present government had launched anti-corruption drives, said many traders.

This year the DCC has earned Tk 5.62 crore by leasing out the 10 temporary cattle markets ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and it made another Tk 6.2 crore from the one-year lease of the permanent cattle market at Gabtoli.

The temporary cattle markets of DCC are located on Armanitola playground and DCC field adjacent to Chitra Mahal, Jigatala-Hazaribagh playground, Hosnidalan Road, Balur Math adjacent to Brothers Union Club, Uttara Azampur Government Primary School ground and the adjacent field of Rajuk, ground of Meradia Bazar at Khilgaon, field to the west of Taltala Bus Stand, field at Agargaon near radio station, field near Alam Market at Postogola and field near Outfall Staff Quarter in DCC Ward 85.

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