SIALKOT: High prices of sacrificial animals are keeping buyers away in northern cities of Punjab.

Though Eidul Azha is about two weeks away, animal markets set up on the outskirts of cities, including Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial, Uggoki, Satrah, Daska, Chawinda, Badiana and Pasrur, look devoid of activity.

The main reason behind slow sales is high prices of animals, including cows, bulls, goats and camels.

Talking to Dawn, many visitors to markets opined that prices were much higher this year as compared to last year, with traders claiming that this year, there is a 40 per cent increase in the selling price.

A market survey revealed that medium-sized goats are being sold for 20,000-30,000 and cows between Rs50,000 – 100,000.

However, rates were higher for animals with good built and quality as well as the demands of the middlemen.

A Sargodha-based trader Abdul Ghani said: “The number of sacrificial animals is much lower this year. High prices of cattle are keeping people away from markets.”

A middleman Khalid Iqbal from Mianwali said: “Even prices of camels have soured up to a great extant and there are few buyers. More and more people are considering cost-sharing sacrifices of cows. The high prices have greatly affected buying power of white collar people.”

A Daska-based trader Mohammad Tariq cited the 2012 monsoon rains and floods as a major reason for animal shortage.

According to the figures listed at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) website, 8414 cattle heads perished in floods this August.

Traders opined that markets set up outside cities were also hampering sales.

They said people preferred saving time and fuel by buying animals from illegal markets set up in commercial and congested residential areas of Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial, Bhopalwala, Uggoki, Satrah, Pasrur, Chawinda and Badiana.

Package deals

However, it is interesting to note that the idea of ‘joint sacrifices’, once looked down upon by the middle classe, is now fast catching up in the tehsils of Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur in District Sialkot.

Banners displayed in above mentioned cities offer lucrative deals, mostly by religious organisations.

A ‘package deal’ for cost-sharing sacrifice of the cow can be between Rs10000 to 12000 per share. The deal also includes service charges of butchers and seems fair to many middle class citizens.

However, for daily wagers, even these deals were ‘pricey’. Expressing that would like to join in the festivities and offer sacrifice, many would-be purchasers remain hopeful that prices of sacrificial animals will go down in the coming week and they’d be able to get good bargain.