Gabtoli Cattle Market: Poor response from buyers worry traders

Though it is a week away from Eid-ul-Azha, trading of sacrificial animals has only begun in the city's sole permanent cattle market in Gabtoli.

A good number of animals has been brought to the market, but the number of customers is very poor.

Traders fear loss as the coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the economy, reducing people's capacity to purchase.

Besides, many have opted not to take part in the sacrificial ritual this year to avoid contracting the virus.  

Some traders have started selling cattle at a lower price fearing the loss.

Siraz Hossain, a resident of Mirpur-14, purchased a bull weighing about six and a half maunds for Tk 1.25 lakh on Thursday.

"Last year, I purchased a bull weighing around six maunds for Tk 1.5 lakh. So I am very happy with the bull this time," said Siraz.

Cattle trader Monowar Bepari said he made some profit by selling the bull as he purchased 20 cattle from Sirajganj at a "low price" a few days ago.

Yusuf Khan, a cattle trader from Kushtia's Mirpur upazila, has brought 12 bulls in the market last week after rearing them at his house for seven months.

But he could not sell any of the cattle until yesterday.

"I had to spend around Tk 1.40 lakh on an average for purchasing and rearing each of the bulls, but customers are not bidding more than Tk 1.20 lakh," said Yusuf.

Another trader Hafizur Rahman who brought seven bulls from Kushtia said the total cost of each bull would be around Tk 60,000 on an average. He too is not getting satisfactory offers from customers.

DSCC AND DNCC MAKESHIFT CATTLE MARKETS

Sacrificial animals have been brought to some of the 16 makeshift livestock markets, including the Dhupkhola math cattle market, but trading has not begun in these markets.

This year Dhaka South City Corporation approved 11 makeshift cattle markets while DNCC approved six, including the permanent one in Gabtoli.

ONLINE SALES START

Many are buying sacrificial animals from various online markets, especially the Digital Haat of DNCC which was inaugurated on July 11.

Abdul Wahed Tomal, general secretary of E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh, said they have sold over 100 sacrificial animals through the online cattle market.

A customer can place an order and pay digitally from their website www.digitalhaat.net.