Shariful Islam, a resident of Mohammadpur in the capital, bought an ox online last year as he had been suffering from fever at that time. Despite his illness, he didn’t want to delay in buying the sacrificial animal. Although he feels healthy this year, he has decided to buy the sacrificial animal online as it seems to be more hassle-free.
“The benefit of online services is that you don’t need to go to the cattle market physically, need not to carry a huge amount of money and finally you need not to worry about the health condition of the cattle as all is given with their description,” he explains.
Although the majority of people prefer to carry out all the activities related to sacrifice of the sacrificial animals during Eid-ul-Azha under their own supervision, innovation in using technologies has become a blessing for many like Shariful.
They said many people do not know how to handle the cattle, how to feed them and how to take care of them. So, relying more on online services will open new spaces for entrepreneurs as well, they added.
Finance Secretary of e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) Asif Ahnaf, also coordinator for current year’s digital haat from the association, said that mixed farming and tech usage are attracting the youths most. “We are observing that a good number of youths are coming with more innovative and modern farming ideas and it is giving hope to the sector as well,” he added.
Besides, many other services like facilitating share-based sacrifice of animals, butcher supply and helping in selling rawhide are provided by service providers, he said, adding that inclusion of e-commerce in the business is opening a new window for the youths and farmers.
Cattle buying and selling
Imran Hossain, president of Bangladesh Dairy Farmers Association (BDFA), said that the digital cattle market started getting popularity due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
In 2020, sales were quite good. But it declined in 2021. After 2021, sales again started booming and dairy farmers hoped that sales would keep going up this year as well, he added.
According to BDFA, over 250 small, medium and large cattle farms are selling their cattle online, registering themselves with Digital Haat, through their own websites, social media like Facebook or through third party platforms like bikroy.com.
While buying cattle, a client can get information about weight range, feed type, feedlot duration, breed, gender, age, size, and colour.
Shaikh Imran Aziz, head of marketing of Bengal meat, said that this year they have brought more than 30 organic grass-fed cattle for the first time for their clients as many people inquire about them. “If we receive a good response, we will increase the number of cattle.”
Services of Bengal meat are available in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.
Sharing sacrifices of sacrificial animals
At least two e-commerce initiatives offer sharing sacrifices of sacrificial animals for upcoming Eid. Online store Grocery Guru in Pallabi and Uttara-based dairy farm Foster Farms Ltd are helping the customers get the opportunities.
In this system, maximum seven people can participate in sacrifices.
What they need to do is that after buying cattle, the client should provide the names of shareholders before slaughtering the animal.
Butcher supply
Sulaiman Hossain, owner of Eshan Cattle Farm, receiving orders through Facebook, said that he has been providing services for last eight years.
First year he received only 20 orders while it was 25 in the second year and after that orders were never less than hundred, he said, adding that order for Eid day was already closed on Wednesday (June 14). And he was taking orders for the second and third day.
Owner of Sadeeq Agro Imran Hossain said that if any customer wants slaughtering services they provide it. And after slaughtering the animal with eco-friendly food packaging bags or biodegradable bags and sending it to the customers.
Shaikh Imran Aziz, head of marketing of Bengal meat, said that they provide services as they slaughter cattle using their automatic machines in presence of an official from Islamic Foundation so that no religious exemption could be found.
Online payments
Customers can make digital payments at six cattle markets in the Dhaka North City Corporation as part of Smart Bangladesh Smart Haat project, implemented by Bangladesh Bank.
Last year the digital payment system was used at six DNCC cattle markets where customers in the capital used their bank’s credit, debit or prepaid cards for payment at six cattle haats in Gabtoli, Bosila, Aftabnagar, Bhatara, Uttara and Kawla areas.
According to the central bank official, international payment networks-- MasterCard and Visa--are also extending cooperation in this regard. In addition, payments through mobile financial service provider--bKash-- will be accepted. Services receive good response as carrying a big amount of money to and from cattle markets have always been risky for both the traders and customers.
The farmers and traders demanded the authority concerned provide such services in other markets as well. Initially, the approach was made to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Chattogram City Corporation (CCC).
However, services would not be available in any cattle market in DSCC area, but services are expanding in four more cattle markets in DNCC area and two cattle markets in CCC.
