This year the Lahore administration has set up seven temporary sacrificial animal markets in different parts of the city, including Shahpur Kanjran Cattle Market, Lakhoder Sabzi Mandi Ring Road, Punjab Government Employees Cooperative Housing Society Phase-II Block E, Wapda Town Extension A-2 Block College Road, DHA Phase 9, DHA Rahber Phase XI Balloki Defence Road, Saggian Road and Hazrat Ali Road Saggian Road.
Besides these points, one can also see animals at different other points in city, which are though illegal but attracting buyers being near to their residential areas.
The presence of buyers in the City District Government Lahore (CDGL)-designated sacrificial animals markets is low. Those who do visit the market with the intention of buying a sacrificial animal, leave empty-handed and disappointed, as the prices of these animals do not fit to their pockets. This very factor has deterred the people from visiting the markets with the hope that the prices would come down nearer to the Eid day.
Rehman Ali, a trader at Shahpur Kanjran cattle market who hails from south Punjab, told Business Recorder on Wednesday that thousands of animals are available in the market, but due to exceeding cost of fodder and other items, the price of animals are high.
This year, the demand price of sacrificial animals has witnessed a considerable increase. A goat of an average size ranged between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000, which last year was available in the range of Rs 18000-24,000. It may noted that a majority of buyers belonging to salaried class, who are finding it difficult to offer religious obligation. Interestingly, the sellers were not ready to sell a small size goat (of 15-kg) less than Rs 20,000, which would have been available for around Rs 15,000 last year.
Prices of a goat/sheep of above average size jumps to around, on average, Rs 36,000 and if the animal's look is outstanding then add extra Rs 10,000. This class of animals is for the elite class only. One goatherd was demanding Rs 60,000 for one well-built goat. The prices of cow are on rise as compared last year. The price of an average cow ranges between Rs 90,000 and Rs 95,000, whereas the same animal was available in the range of Rs 70,000/800,000 last year. For a well-built buffalo, the sellers are asking between Rs 135,000 and Rs 180,000, depending on its look.
Interestingly, last year trend of offering cows for sacrifice had increased due to high prices of goat/sheep; it seems that the prevailing prices of sheep/goat would encourage people to opt for cows and thus would be in high demand again. These very sentiments were seen among the buyers in the sacrificial markets.
A buyer, Usman Zafer complained of high prices and said that the goatherds were asking ridiculous price for a goat. "It is all most double for the last year. I am a businessmen and even than I am finding hard to find an animal at a reasonable rate," he added.
Another buyer was seen leaving the market empty-handed and his face showed displeasure over the prevailing skyrocketing prices of animals. He showed anger and said nothing positive can happen in this country. "The animals have become unaffordable for common man for the last many years," he added. He pinned his hopes on rain that may bring the prices down and thus he could buy an animal within his budget.
People are also complaining that this year markets have been reduced confining to seven points only. People after buying animals have to pay higher transportation charges because of high petrol prices. Siraj Khan, a buyer said that he had to pay over Rs 2000 to transport the animals he bought from Shahpur Kanjran to his place in China Scheme.
The traders of sacrificial animals on Bund Road had their own story on the price hike and claimed that they were forced to push the prices in the backdrop of increase transportation cost and increase in the prices of animal feed.
Junaid from Sargodha pointed out that recent hike in the prices of petrol has made transportation of animals expensive and thus this factor alone compelled them to push the prices of animal up. "Combination of this factor and increase in the price of animal feed has pumped up the price of a sacrificial animal", he added.