SWAT: Animal dealers have said that the unyielding surge in prices across the country had a detrimental impact on the ability of a majority of people to afford sacrificial animals for Eidul Azha this year.

According to dealers of sacrificial animals, about a 70 per cent decline has been observed in purchases compared to the previous year in Swat.

They said the effects of steep price hikes, especially in essential commodities like food, had left a significant number of people unable to purchase an animal for sacrifice as they struggle to meet basic needs of their families.

“Last year, I had sold over 100 animals even two days before Eidul Azha, but this year, the market is empty of customers as nobody wants to purchase a sacrificial animal. Only a few people come to market, but go back without purchase when they hear about their rates,” Murad Ali, an animal dealer in Amankot, said, adding he hardly sold 20 animals so far.

Dealers also complain about losses due to ‘fewer sales’

He said low turnout of people in the market caused him heavy losses as he had brought over 100 animals.

Another dealer in Dangram Kokarai animal market said prices of animals were not much higher than last year, but this time around, people did not seem interested in purchasing sacrificial animals amid record inflation.

“Last year, the animal market was thronged with buyers. However, this year only a few people visit the market daily,” Iqbal Hussain, an animal dealer, said.

The buyers said soaring prices of daily necessities and hefty utility bills were reasons for their inability to save money to purchase sacrificial animals.

Khan Nawab, a schoolteacher in Mingora, said despite being a government employee, his monthly salary no longer sufficed, due to runaway inflation, to buy a sacrificial animal.

In Kohat, Ehsanullah Khan, the contractor of the district’s biggest cattle market, said that he had invested over Rs70 million for three years, but due to fewer sales this year and dozens of illegal markets springing up in every corner, he had suffered huge losses.

He assailed the tehsil municipal administration for not banning the ‘illegal’ markets operating in the district.

Talking to Dawn, Ehsanullah said the deputy commissioner had time and again ordered the TMA to ban all such markets, but to no avail. He said he couldn’t collect a stipulated tax on deals made outside his market.

The contractor said he had a staff of 100 people, who were also paid wages.

Ehsanullah said he also had to pay the TMA fee, which was increasing seven per cent annually.

He said Eid was the time when he made money through taxing each deal, but this year it seemed he would hardly make up for the contract money.

Meanwhile, animal dealer, Waseem Khan, who has brought a beautiful cow from Punjab, is demanding Rs900,000 for it.

He told Dawn the cow’s daily expense was Rs2,000, besides he was paying daily rent to the market contractor.

“The rate of a ram of normal size ranges between Rs80,000 to Rs90,000 as compared to last year’s Rs30,000 to Rs35,000,” Mustansar, a local, said.

Rehmat Elahi, a resident of Thall tehsil of Hangu, said last year the price of a goat ranged from Rs35,000 to Rs37,000, but the price had jumped to Rs60,000 this year.

In Bajaur, the buyers complained about the huge surge in prices of cattle, saying they won’t be able to buy cattle for sacrifice this year.

“I want to buy an animal ranging between Rs60,000 and Rs70,000, but have yet to find the one as prices have skyrocketed,” complained Saddam Khan, a resident of Mamond tehsil.

The customers said 60 to 70 per cent increase had been witnessed in prices of cattle this year.

Hammad Khan, a resident of Sadiqabad town, told Dawn he expected the prices to increase due to inflation, but the rates of sacrificial animals have actually trippled in the local markets this year.

The residents said they won’t be able to buy an animal of their choice for sacrifice on Eidul Azha if prices didn’t come down by Wednesday evening.

The cattle dealers also admitted prices of sacrificial animals had gone sky high.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2023