Cattle markets in the city and 59 upazilas of Khulna division gradually appeared vibrant only one day ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha but buyers found the sacrificial animals’ price to be a little exorbitant compared to previous years.
Khulna City Corporation (KCC) allowed installation of lone makeshift cattle market maintaining health guidelines in the city on July 3, 2022.
Market operators said besides the local buyers, the wholesale cattle traders continued to send livestock at the markets in the city and 9 upazilas of the district from different districts in Khulna division.
“There is no shortage of cattle supply to the markets though there are no Indian imported cattle this year,” Mahmud Chowdhury, a cattle trader who came from Kalia upazila of Narail, said at Zoragate cattle market at KCC yesterday.
But market observers and buyers said the price of a medium sized cow ranged between Taka 1,20,000 to Taka 2,0,00,00 and a goat was being sold at prices between Taka 25,000 to Taka 35,0000, a price range which appeared a little higher than the previous year.
Prince, an owner of a dairy farm, namely ‘Saad and Shams Agro Farm’ of City’s Daulatpur area told BSS, “I have bought 26 cows at Zoragate cattle market. My small size cow’s price is Taka 62,000 and the biggest ox namely ‘Kalu’s price is Taka 16 lakh while ‘Nabab’s price is Taka 15 lakh,”.
Traders attributed the higher price to the soaring price of animal feed and transport cost.
Talking to BSS, Bazar Super of KCC MA Mazed said KCC earned over Taka two crore selling over 6,940 sacrificial animals last year at KCC’s Zoragate makeshift cattle market.
He hoped KCC will earn over Taka 2.5 crore from selling over 10,000 sacrificial animals this year.
Officials said the 9 upazilas of the district installed a total of 27 cattle markets and KCC installed lone cattle market at Zoragate area.
Khulna Divisional Livestock Officer Shukhendu Shekhar Gayeen told BSS, a total of 1, 12,365 sacrificial animals were sold before Eid-ul-Azha last year in Khulna division.
He hoped that the sale of sacrificial animals may cross 1, 25,000 this year.
Market operators installed adequate currency screening machines in all the cattle markets while police said steps were taken to ensure required security in the market places.
Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner (KMP) Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan said, “We have taken three-tier security measures including huge close circuit cameras (CC) at the Zoragate cattle market.”
“Besides, we have introduced a special traffic management system to ease traffic congestion in and around the market in the city,” he added.
This year cow has been reared 4, 02,553 while buffalo 5,916, goat 9, 55,303, sheep 36,038 and other animals in the division.
A total of 13, 99,821 sacrificial animals have been reared locally against demand 13, 99,821, more 5, 42,220 in ten districts of the division.
