KARACHI - The traders and citizens expect that the buying power of sacrificial animals have decreased as compare to last year due to sky rocketing prices in the Asia’s largest cattle market, The Nation learnt.
During the survey of cattle market, Super Highway witnessed that prices of sacrificial animal have been increased around 30 to 40 percent as the buyers to return home without buying.
Dozens of citizens seem frustrated roaming in the said market due to irrational demands of the traders for an ordinary animal.
This year average price of a healthy goat with weight of 25 Kilogram was not less than Rs35, 000 to 40,000, while last year healthy goat was being sold between Rs25, 000 to 30,000.
Similarly, a medium-weight cow cost around Rs80, 000 while healthy animals were being sold up to 100, 0000 that also made it difficult for an average buyer.
It is pertinent to mention here that, the price of an average sized goat started from Rs20,000 and the price of an average sized cow started from Rs60,000.
Various traders explained the multiple reasons of the hike on animal rates. A trader Moula Buksh said that major cause behind the issue is massive increase in petroleum prices adding that transporters were charging huge fares on account of logistics service.
Another trader Saleh Muhammad said that a reason of the increase in prices of sacrificial animals is imposition of several huge taxes by the administration of the cattle market on accounts of entry charges, lighting charges, animal’s vaccination charges and others.
He further informed that the administration claimed that loading charges of animal on vehicle has been removed but administrational staff collecting Rs200 for loading of each animal.
A trader Anwar Shah, who has been conducting his business for several years in the market said that profit margin has become negligible due to the high costs of fodder, tents and animal entry to the cattle market.
The administration is charging as many as Rs1200 for entry of each cow in the market and Rs800 on a goat, while Rs200 for loading charges, Rs20,000 for small tent and thousand of rupees for lighting and security, the charges were add in the price of cattle, Shah added.
According to some customers, the price hike is the direct result of greedy traders wanting to exploit the Eid season and other special occasions to make quick gains. Other customers believe that the remarkable increase in animal prices is artificial hike by the traders.
However, customers believe that the traders were taking advantage of the season and robbing them blind. The government is silent while animal dealers are looting people with both hands,” said Abid Abbasi.
Another buyer, Anwar-ul-Haq Kamal said that sellers were taking advantage of their urgency. Sellers know that people have to buy animals since it’s compulsory for wealthy Muslim families to sacrifice an animal on Eid.
The Administrator of Asia’s largest cattle market Shahab Ahmed told The Nation that the rates of the sacrificial animals has increased around 20 to 25 percent as compare to last year due to some reasons including hike on petroleum products, fodder rates while the market administration also increased some taxes.
He said the market administration had provided vendors with medication, electricity, water and ambulance service against their charges. We also prepared ramps for uploading and off-loading of animals without any charges. The administrator said we had also put a check on those vendors, especially water sellers, who are involved in overcharging.
He admitted that prices were exorbitant but many people are buying even at the demanded rates of the cattle merchants. Talking about VIP Block at the cattle market, Ahmed said that some renowned vendors just take camps for their brand projection; however they never make any trade of animals from the spot.
He said that around 76,000 sacrificial cows had been registered with the Super Highway cattle market, while 8,000 goats and 4,000 camels were also registered in the market.
All sacrificial animals are being taken here from different parts of the country, including Thatta, Larkana, Rahim Yar Khan, Bhawalpur and Multan, he added.