Daily Times

KARACHI: With the start of the cattle market in Karachi to sell sacrificial animals for Islamic festival of Eid ul Adha, the animal traders have started playing tricks saying that this year the prices of animals are much higher as compared to the previous years,; however, actually prices are low.

The livestock traders have somehow managed to disseminate the information through television reports that the prices of the animals become higher this year. A report said that a bullock was sold at Rs 3, 45,000, however, actually the price is low, Daily Times learnt on Thursday.

The livestock market sources claim that the animal traders are disseminating such information to pretend that the prices are high, so that buyers may come early to market and also buy the animals on higher prices.

Around 1000 animals including cows, bullocks and buffalos are brought in so far with the animal market at the entrance camp of cattle market and more animals are coming. For visitors, food court and road side food stalls have also been set up. Two banks have set up their ATMs at the cattle market while a complaint centre has also been established to resolve complaints.

The cattle market covers 1100 acre with 26 blocks, among them are five VIP blocks whereas goat market has a general and another one the VIP block. The largest subcontinent cattle market has been set up under supervision of Malir Cantonment.

Purchasing of sacrificial animals may get to peak from the mid of August while VIP tents displaying expensive animals are currently centre of attraction for children. The rent of ‘VIP’ tent is high. Animals from Sahiwal are very famous among Karchities. A large number of traders from mainly Punjab and upper Sindh come to sell their animals.

A cattle seller told Daily Times that there can be no prediction whether there would be more animals this year as compared to previous year as people buy sacrificial animals from three to four other cattle markets in the city. An estimated Rs 250 to 300 million worth of animals would be coming from across the country. Last year in 2016 over 250,000 cows, 40,000 goats and 3,000 camels were sold out.

According to cattle sellers last year they had to pay a fee of Rs1,000 for cows and camels and Rs 600 for goat, but this year contractor is charging Rs 1400 and Rs 800 respectively.

While there is negligible number of animals at other small cattle markets of the city. There will be five to six small cattle markets in Karachi and many roadside sale points where sacrificial animals can be purchased.

Published in Daily Times, July 28^th , 2017.