A cattle rearer leads his cows to the Shahjahanpur cattle market in Kamalapur of Dhaka after unloading them from a truck. The photo was taken from Motijheel area in the city on Friday. — FE Photo Despite cattle sales at temporary markets in the city officially kicking off on Friday, farm owners and seasonal traders reported dull businesses just days ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha.
With Eid falling on June 17, farmers and traders anticipated a bustling market for sacrificial animals.
However, by Friday afternoon, the cattle markets were quieter than expected.
The number of buyers rose compared to the past two days, but farmers, traders and market lessees were disappointed with the sales figures.
At Meradia's temporary market on Friday afternoon, sellers actively tried to attract customers, but there were few takers. Medium-sized local cows and goats dominated the market, with cow prices ranging from Tk 100,000 to Tk 200,000 -- these were in higher demand.
In contrast, demand for large cows was lower, leading to fewer sales.
Hedayetul Islam, who brought 20 cows from Kushtia's Bheramara and Sadar upazilas, has only sold three in the past two days. Expressing disappointment, he said though cattle prices are slightly higher compared to last year, increased production costs due to expensive cattle feed have eroded his profits.
Mr Islam believes farmers who sold their cows to traders a few weeks earlier received better prices.
At the Hazaribagh market, Munshigan's Green Agro brought 34 cows, with the most notable being a Shahiwal breed weighing 4.5 tonnes and priced at Tk 500,000.
Farm owner Dildar Hossain said sales of large cows have been slow, with only four sold in the last two days, all priced under Tk 200,000.
Shahiwal breeds are popular, but affordability remains an issue, leading to fewer sales. Julfiqar Ali, who brought a cow weighing 3.2 tonnes, said a village trader offered Tk 240,000, but he has not received similar offers at the market.
He believes he would have gotten a better price if he had sold the cow during the last Ramadan.
Cattle rearer Kamal Hossain from Kurigram at Kamalapur-Mugda cattle market said he brought nine cows but has only sold one so far.
He claims a large number of Indian cattle have been smuggled in this year, leading to a drop in local cow prices. "Most cattle farm owners and rearers are worried about recouping their investments."
Traders said that around 80 per cent of buyers were opting for small and medium-sized cows. However, buyers felt prices were higher than last year.
Mohammadpur resident Azim Hossain, who visited the Hazaribagh market, said prices seem Tk 10,000 to Tk 20,000 higher per cow this year.
Abu Sayeed, the lessee of the Meradia temporary market, expressed disappointment that sales have not met expectations.
He estimated that 500 to 1,000 cows might be sold on Friday, though they had hoped for more.
Meanwhile, goat prices appear unchanged from last year, with goats weighing 15-20 kg selling for Tk 15,000 to Tk 20,000.
Law enforcement personnel, including police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), were present to ensure safety and security at the cattle markets. Besides, volunteers appointed by the market leases were working to maintain order.
A representative of the Kamalapur-Mugda Cattle Market management told The Financial Express that they have facilities to detect counterfeit notes and veterinary doctors on site.
According to the Department of Livestock, the country's farmers have 12.2 million cattle this year, exceeding the estimated maximum demand of 10.5 million.
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