As Eid-ul-Azha, one of the most significant festivals for Muslims, approaches in just five days, cattle farmers and traders from across the nation, including Jashore, Kushtia, and Rajshahi, are arriving in the capital with their sacrificial animals for the various cattle markets established by the two city corporations.
However, this year, the number of sacrificial animals is noticeably lower due to several factors, including last year's financial losses, extreme heat, concerns about attracting enough buyers, and limited space in the city's cattle markets. Farmers around Dhaka have also reduced the number of sacrificial animals they are preparing due to these same concerns.
For the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, the two city corporations of Dhaka (North and South) have prepared a total of 22 cattle markets, including two permanent ones. Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has set up ten markets, while Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has established 12. Official trading in these temporary markets will commence next Thursday.
A visit to the cattle markets at Khilgaon Rail Gate and Kamalapur Stadium near Bishwa Road on Tuesday revealed a bustling scene. Traders from various parts of the country, including Kushtia and Rajshahi, have arrived with trucks loaded with cattle. Each trader brought multiple animals, with some bringing as many as 10-20.
Although official trading begins next Thursday, traders noted that the main buying and selling will start from Friday. Already, some visitors have come to view the animals and enquire about prices, though no sales have been made yet.
Many traders have expressed concerns that the space for keeping cattle has decreased in nearly every market this year due to ongoing road repair work. Additionally, there is worry among traders about insufficient pathways for buyer movement, which could negatively impact sales.
Speaking with farmers and traders, it was revealed that last year many struggled to sell all their animals. Some had to sell at prices up to 20 per cent lower than expected, incurring losses.
Due to these bitter experiences, many farmers have scaled back their animal husbandry efforts for this year’s Eid-ul-Azha. Additionally, many traders outside Dhaka were hesitant to bring their animals to the capital's markets due to fears of losses and space constraints.
Consequently, the supply of animals in Dhaka’s markets is expected to be lower this year, potentially driving prices up slightly.
Shahid Hossain, a sacrificial animal trader from Kushtia, shared his experiences at the Gopibagh hasil point of Kamalapur Gorur Haat on Tuesday. "Last year, we came to this haat with 10 trucks of cattle; this year, it's reduced to four. I brought 10 cattle for sale last year, but only five this year. Many of those who came with us last year did not come this year."
"We suffered significant losses last year due to rain and a lack of buyers. As a result, many vendors have decided not to come this year. There is also a shortage of space in Dhaka’s haats, and people's purchasing power has decreased. Furthermore, the cost of raising sacrificial animals has increased slightly. Therefore, there is uncertainty about the demand for animals in Dhaka," he added.
Rahmat Ali, an animal farmer, explained, "Many people will leave Dhaka during the three-day holiday before Eid, so there is a fear that demand in Dhaka may be lower. Additionally, the excessive heat is discouraging people from coming."
Farmers have reported that 90 per cent of their animals have already been sold directly from the farms. They noted that the price of sacrificial animals has increased slightly this year due to a 25 per cent rise in the cost of raising them.
Rajib Ahmed, manager of Nabil Agro in Rupganj Upazila of Narayanganj, told The Business Post, "We sold 150 animals last year, but this year it has reduced to 100. Ninety per cent of the cattle from our large farm have already been sold. The price is slightly higher this year because production costs have increased. Last year, the cost per cattle was Tk 12,000 per month; this year, it has risen to Tk 15,000."
