A survey of the Bakra Mandi at Malir and Super Highway revealed an unexpected increase in the prices of sacrificial animals soon after the citing of Zilhij moon. Bakra Mandi visitors were talking about skyrocketing prices of animals, especially goat prices being not in reach of common people forcing tem to seek share in the cows, comparatively a cheaper deal.
According to the animal sellers prices are skyrocketing this year as sacrificial animals could not reach Karachi from different parts of the country on time due to chilly weather. The low temperature in the upcountry restricted livestock traders' movement resulting in short supply of sacrificial animals in metropolitan city.
Some animal sellers said they feared that during the journey or stay under the open sky at Bakra piris, animals may get sick and die due to cold, they justified the rise in the sacrificial animals prices.
This is a great loss for poor sellers of far flung rural areas because they wait for this holy occasion to get good prices for their stock which they raise with love, labour and care. Transportation problems were also one of the factors for higher rates of the animals, they said.
They said that if the city government provided them temporary tents during the stay, the could come earlier and people could buy sacrificial animals at reasonable rates. They requested the Governor of Sindh Ishrat-ul-Ebad and City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan to provide them temporary shelters along with basic necessities during their stay.
Due to lack of facilities at Bakra piris, they are bound to make their stay long without any other reason, they said. "If the government solved these problems, definitely we will be able to keep the prices of animals at purchasable levels even for the common people, they said.
A pair of goats is available between in the range of Rs 16,000-18,000 for some 10-15 kgs, it was estimated.
If some one looks for a pair of healthy and good-looking goats, it is available at the asking prices of Rs 25,000, weighting nearly 20-22 kgs. In fact after several visits of bakra piris, one may find with Rs 4000 or Rs 5000 normally healthy looking goat is not available, if market prices of animals come down, probably on second or even third day of Eid-ul-Azha one might be able to buy a goat at that rate.
But, presently it seems very difficult. A goat, weighting nearly 180 kgs is available at Rs 250,000, the speciality of this goat is sitting on a piece cloth and eating dry fruits, no grams no grass and drinks mineral water and soft drinks.
Cows were available in the range of Rs 20,000-25,000. Cheaper headswere ranging between Rs 6000-7000 and camels were available at Rs 25,000-50,000.
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