Low demand for sacrificial animal disappoints sellers in Bagerhat cattle markets
Most of the people who came were individual buyers, searching for an animal for sacrifice, not professional traders
The cattle markets in rural areas of Bagerhat are seeing low demand for sacrificial animals this Eid-ul-Adha, leaving many sellers disappointed.
Visiting Gangni cattle market in Mollahat upazila of Bagerhat district today (5 June), this TBS reporter observed a significant number of cows filled the market, buyers were noticeably scarce.
Most of the people who came were individual buyers, searching for an animal for sacrifice, not professional traders.
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Ikram Molla, a farmer from Burigagni village, brought two cows to the market. While he managed to sell one, he had to take the other back home when it didn't fetch his expected price.
"The prices here are not meeting our expectations. Only individual buyers are present, there are no big traders, which is affecting the market," Molla told The Business Standard.
However, not everyone agrees on pricing.
Murad Sikder, a buyer who lives in Dhaka, found prices surprisingly high.
"I heard that cow prices in the village are low, but when I came to the market, I saw that the price was quite high," he said.
Disappointed with the Gangni market, Murad plans to try his luck at the Ikhri Market in neighbouring Terkhada upazila tomorrow.
Adding to the complexity, Miraj Sheikh, a local from Gangni village, highlighted the rising cost of raising livestock.
"Raising cows is quite expensive now. The prices of hay, husk, kheil, and other cow fodder have increased considerably in the last one year," he said.
He went on to say that the price cattle owners need to cover their costs and make a profit often seems steep to buyers, creating a difficult balancing act in the market.
