City’s cattle markets have started gaining momentum on Saturday as sale of sacrificial animals began in full swing.While visiting different cattle markets in the capital, this correspondent found huge number of city dwellers crowding the makeshift cattle markets. Talking to some traders and buyers of sacrificial animals, it was learnt that the small and medium-sized cows are on high priority of the buyers as the prices of small to medium size cows are said to be relatively cheaper ranging from Taka 45,000 and Taka 75,000.
Bablu Mia, a cattle trader from Kushtia brought 14 small and medium size cows at Uttar Shahjahnpur cattle market on Thursday. Although Bablu could not sell any of his cattle till Friday afternoon due to lack of buyers, he managed to sell five of his cows since Saturday morning. He expects to sell all of his cattle before Eid day as the buyers started thronging on the day.
Customers have started buying cattle with just two days left before the Eid-ul-Adha. However, many buyers were found dissatisfied with the asking prices of cattle terming those as very high. “Cattle traders are asking high prices for their animals that’s why I could not buy cattle. I shall return tomorrow to check if the prices have fallen,” Mizanur Rahman, a buyer, told this correspondent.
Mahbub Alam, a private service jobholder said, “I have purchased a cow from this cattle market (Shahjahanpur) at a cost of Taka 70,000,” adding, “The prices of the cattle seems to be little bit higher compared to last year.” The market saw an adequate number of locally raised cows brought from different districts across the country. The cattle traders, on average, are seeking Tk 150,000 - Tk 800,000 for a big size of cow, Tk 80,000 - Tk 120,000 for a medium size of cow and Tk 40,000 - Tk 70,000 for a small size of cow.
Meanwhile, prices of goats are said to be reasonable which ranges from Taka 7,000 and Taka 35,000. Talking to this correspondent, a cattle-trader - Saidul Alam at city's Gopibagh Balur Math cattle market, adjacent to Kamalapur Stadium said that he came to this market on Thursday night with a herd of 40 goats and he managed to sell half of the goats till Saturday afternoon.
The cattle traders and farmers have brought their animals in the capital especially from Kushtia, Meherpur, Sirajganj, Madaripur, Rajbari, Kurigram, Jamalpur, Joypurhat, Pabna, Satkhira, Jashore, Sunamganj, Nilphamari, Rangpur and Dinajpur. According to the Local Government Division, some 2,362 cattle markets were set up across the country including 24 markets in the capital. Out of the 24 cattle markets in the capital, 10 have been set up at Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) while 14 have been set up at Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
