Eid is only a few days away. In the meantime, the sale of sacrificial animals has started in the haats of Rangpur. However, the market has not been up and running yet due to the floods. Locals feel that the flood situation has affected the market negatively. In this situation, the brokers, peddlers, small and big traders and workers are sitting idle.
According to sources, in previous years, more than 2.5 million cows were sold at about 1,500 cattle markets in Rangpur 15 to 20 days before Eid-ul-Adha. About 80 percent of the buyers were cattle traders from Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Barisal areas. These were taken out by truck. At the local level, the sale of cows started just a week before Eid.
Ahadul Islam of Barbari area of Rangpur metropolis, who came to sell cattle at Lalbaghhat in Rangpur's largest Pashurhat city on Wednesday, said, "I bought four domestic cows by investing one lakh taka after Eid-ul-Adha last year. Since then, it has cost over Tk 50 thousand. In all, it cost more than two lakh taka to bring four cows to the market. He said the price of four cows has gone up by Tk 1.5 lakh so far. Where after one 50 thousand was supposed to be spent on them. The big thing is that the customer does not match the price.”
Ruhul Amin from Mahiganj came to Lalbaghhat to sell local cows. He said that a month ago, the price of his cow at home had gone up to Tk 60,000. But he is not asking for more than 80 thousand taka by bringing it to the market. So far, he has raised the cow at several markets including Burirhat, Lalbagh and Taraganj.
Liaquat Ali brought two cows from the modern area around the market to sell. He also expressed regret. The price of two cows at home was 60 thousand taka. But that buyer never came back. Now the buyers have brought the price of the two cows to the market and said up to Tk 70,000.
Saheb Ali of Hathazari in Chittagong, who came to buy cows at the market, said he bought 25 cows from different markets in Rangpur last week for around Tk 10 lakh. In Chittagong, he had to sell each cow at a loss of Tk 4,000 to 5,000. Osman Gani, a businessman from Dhaka, said, "Last year, I bought 5 to 6 trucks of cows at each market and took them away. But I do not have the courage to buy cows this year. Because I buy cows from here and get them, but I don't get customers there.”
At present, local farmers and small cattle traders have started raising sacrificial animals in the famous hats of Rangpur. These markets have cows and goats as well as buffaloes and sheep. However, traders are frustrated as the sales have not started as expected. Hats now have more animals than buyers.
It is learned that Taraganj Hat, Badarganj Hat, Baraibari Hat, Lalbagh Hat, Burirhat, Chowdhuranihat, Nazirer Hat, Nisbetganj Hat, Paotanahat, Kandirhat, Deuthihat, Jaithihat, Jaiphat , Shatibarihat, Baluahat, Madarganjhat and Bhobarihat including Rangpur City Corporation area cattle markets have started selling cattle and goats. However, these markets have a little more than the normal import of cattle. But buyers have not yet flocked to the market that way.
Hat leaseholders say farmers in the flood-hit surrounding area are rushing to the market to sell their livestock in the wake of the fodder crisis. So even though the import of cattle is relatively high, the hats have not yet become loud in the presence of buyers. Buyers are likely to call everyone who looks appropriate, if there are only a few. But this time the flood situation has improved but there is still water in many areas. For this reason, they are worried about where to buy and keep cows in advance. On the other hand, animal owners are sitting in the hope of getting higher prices. However, some of the sellers are worried that the price of cattle may go down before Eid.
Another animal market in Rangpur city, Burirhat, was visited on Monday. Matiar Rahman, a cattle trader in the area, said he bought two cows 15 days ago this year with an investment of Tk 60,000 in the hope of making a profit. But he sold Tinhat at a loss of Tk 10,000. He said the import of cattle at the market is more than last year.
