KARACHI, Jan 20: It is interesting to study the economics of 'bakra' eid. For some people the occassion is one in a year to make big money; the upcountry shepherd's; the urban butchers; the middlemen; the deep-freezer sellers and all classes of people who run in between.

There are no firm numbers, but guess timates suggest that millions of rupees change hands in the heated consumer market as shopping touches its peak a day before Eid ul Azha.

Most people offer the cow, sheep and goat sacrifice in the three days, starting the 10th of Zilhaj. But The season of devouring meat ends not until the advent of Muharram, a month of mourning for Muslims.

A closer look at the market and the players concerned indicate that seasonal rise on the occasion of this religious festival that coincides with the most favourite season for weddings throw up new opportunities, and clever and enterprising people who stride with the tide and are able to earn tidy supplementary package to their regular income.

Family preparations revolve round buying new dresses, shoes and accessories but the focus is on qurbani (sacrifice). Some very interesting facts were discovered in the course of our attempt to understand the economics of Bakra Eid.

The business is reported to be brisk all over Pakistan but the growing middle class has made Karachi the most attractive cattle market and several hundred people, not only from the interior of the province (Sindh), but also from northern Pakistan throng the city to claim their share in the bounties of the 'bakra' eid.

Scores of temporary mini cattle markets are set up all over the city besides huge spaces allocated by the city government for the purpose in the peripheral areas of Karachi.

Besides civilian localities, sacrificial animals are also bought and sold in cantonment areas as well. People who have access prefer CSDs (Cantonment shopping area) over others as the places appear more secure and better organized.

Despite repeated attempts the writer was not able to get even a vague number to indicate how many people are into this business in Karachi alone. The information that could be gleaned was, however, that regular traders because of strong demand raise funds from their acquaintances before the start of the season on a promise of providing return of 40 to 50 per cent.

That means on each Rs1000 invested the investor gets Rs400 to Rs500 over and above his principal investment. Some young men, instead of lending the sum make gather in small groups and manage trading in goats and cows on their own in the hope of still higher returns.

The experience, in many instances, however, is not a pleasant one. There is actually a whole chain of middle men between the original seller of cattle in some remote village and the final customer in cities.

It was revealed during the survey for the report that the informal cross border trade of cattle especially in cow is rampant in Sindh. A source in Mirpur Khas insisted that it was a regular activity in border areas.

The scale and quantum of cross border trading in itself suggested connivance of law enforcers. The source believes that the activity enjoys patronage of influentials in the area.

Since the trade runs into millions of rupees, he insists that security personnel turn a blind eye on both sides of the border: for a price. A report from Islamabad indicated that the Karachi bound movement of sacrificial animals has built up pressure in the local market and pushed up the prices in towns in Northern Pakistan.

Though the supply situation is said to be fine, prices of animals are still on the higher side. "The demand seems inelastic in Karachi as even higher prices have failed to discourage customers. In fact the crowd is increasing by hours", a friend who resides near one of the make-shift bakra piri (goat market) said.

During this Eid the professional butchers close their ranks and fix a rate of their liking and choosing, depending on the status of the area they operate from.

Besides regular butchers several novices working as helpers at butcher shops or somewhere around arrange for knives and accessories and enter the market. They charge much less than professionals and therefore manage to lure desperate people who are running after butchers, during the three Eid days.

Though cattle market and butchers are at the centre there are number of allied service based Eid-specific businesses that have sprung up over the last couple of years.

As the bulk of animals are brought into the city from elsewhere, transporters are very much in demand. Trucks and Mazda carriers cover inter-city routes while lighter Suzuki pickups are in demand for intra city transportation of animals.

On an average transporters charge double the normal rate during the season. Despite charging heavily, there is no dearth of customers so much so that transport proprietors, in many cases, engage extra drivers for the season to keep the vehicle on the road for the maximum numbers of hours each day.

Earlier, there were a few charitable organizations assisting people. Now there number runs in hundreds. The seminaries, religo-political outfits, ethnic parties, student organizations, mosques, trusts and NGOs are in business of the event management.

The competition has led to aggressive advertising and even door to door campaigns to clinch the market share. There are banners and hoardings all over the city citing rates for services offered by bigger players. It suits many middle class households to get the job done by professionals to avoid the hassles.

Several hundred people set up stalls of animal feed, accessories, etc. Asif, 17, a student and resident of Baloch Para in Gizri area helps his brother at one such stall.

He said that the job is easier said than done. "Yesterday some Defence Housing Authority people took away our rented push cart along with whatever we had at the stall at the time".

"We are doing whatever is needed to be done to put our business back on track but this involves a lot of running around and tension", his sprits defied his woeful tale. He told that returns depend on the size of amount invested. "On average we make about 60 to 70 per cent net profit", he confided.

Some people in the old city area have put up tents to take care of sacrificial animals. They keep the cattle and charge for their services. The rates run from Rs 50 a day for a goat and Rs 100 a day for the cow.

For people residing in flats it is very convenient to deposit their animal with these care takers and get it at the time of sacrifice. "I cannot carry my goat to my flat which is on sixth floor; neither can I stay on road all day to look after my animal.

These caretakers have answered the needs of people like myself. For me Rs50 a day is affordable", a resident of Garden area said whose animal is lodged in one such stall at the footpath.

Another section that benefits from Eid is electronic traders. The market experiences a surge in sale of fridges and deep freezers during this period. On a lighter note, the overeating of meat in all its form, also brings some additional money to the doctors; who this year have interestingly set up makeshift dispensaries: "Janwaroon ka hospital" in various localities of the city.

Islam encourages all prosperous Muslims to sacrifice certain Halal (permissible for eating by the religion) animals in the name of God and distribute its meat in specified shares amongst relatives, neighbours and needy. About 140 million strong Muslims create huge demand for cattle heads for sacrificial purposes on the occasion.

Obviously cattle dealers and tanners plan much in advance and wait for the festival most eagerly. Ask any tanner or even patented shoe makers: Most of them purchase the hide from the "Kakri ground" in the old city of Kharadhar, where Karachi's biggest auction of hides and skin is carried out every year.