Cattle sales in city gain momentum

Prices of sacrificial animals dropped yesterday at city cattle markets as traders sold their cattle at reasonable prices.

Traders said they lowered prices as the supply was sufficient and the demand was not showing any signs of increasing. The inclement weather also prompted them to sell their bulls and cows as they feared that the animals might get sick.

Medium-sized bulls were sold between Tk 50,000 and Tk 70,000, down by around Tk 10,000 from the previous day. For the smaller ones, traders charged the buyers between Tk 25,000 and Tk 40,000, down by nearly Tk 10,000 from Tuesday.

Although buyers were satisfied with the prices, traders were frustrated over their low profits. Many feared that they might have to incur losses today if the demand doesn't pick up on the last day before Eid.

Rossy from Mirpur-12 bought a bull for Tk 51,000 at the temporary cattle market at Eastern Housing in the city's Pallabi. He said he was happy as the prices were reasonable.

Trader Shahidul Islam brought six bulls to the market from Jhenidah. He sold two of them yesterday for Tk 45,000 and Tk 55,000.

“We had high hopes for a good profit this year, but our hopes now have been dashed. I've sold two of my bulls with nominal profits for fear of incurring loss like in the last two year,” Shahidul told The Daily Star.

The trader said he faced a loss of around Tk 1 lakh in the last two years. “It's enough. I'll not bring bulls to the capital any more. My bulls would have sold at higher prices in Jhenidah.”

Mohammad Anwar Hossain was yet to sell any of his three bulls. He brought the animals to the city market from Manikganj three days ago.

“Customers are not even offering me the buying price of Tk 70,000 for a bull. They are offering me Tk 60,000 for it. I am still hoping for a good price,” said Anwar.

Consumers were worried about the supply of sacrificial animals to city markets after the BJP government in India had chocked the illegal cattle supply channels to Bangladesh a few months ago. However, a good supply of local cattle has eased their worries.

MARKETS ON ROADS

To minimise public suffering, the Local Government Division in an order on August 31 asked the two Dhaka city corporations not to lease out the fields of education institutions, playgrounds, open spaces along the rail tracks and roads to businessmen for setting up temporary cattle markets there.

But cattle of many markets spilled onto busy city streets. The cattle market in Kamalapur has blocked many lanes and by-lanes in Gopibagh. The market set up on Sadeque Hossain Khoka playground have choked the Dholaikhal and Sutrapur roads and the market in Uttara has blocked some roads in sectors-11, 12, and 13, said locals.

The market set up on Rahmatganj playground, Haji Delwar Hossain field in Lalbagh and near the Postagola crematorium also blocked many roads in the areas.