Cattle traders finally found some solace on the penultimate day of sale as prices of sacrificial animals edged up on Monday, after two dismal days with less-than-expected returns from the markets.
On Tuesday is the last day before Eid-ul-Azha and traders say there are expecting a higher turnover to make up for the losses they made in the previous two days.
“I sold four oxen on Tuesday (on Monday) which helped me recover some of the losses I made in the past few days. I had sold 10 oxen before at much lower prices,” said Sobur Molla, a trader who came from Rangpur with a herd of 20 bulls for a cattle market at the city’s Banani area.
“If the current market trend continues, with the rest of my herd sold, I hope to go back with a good profit.”
In the first two days of sale, the prices of sacrificial animals were comparatively lower than that during the same period last year. Cattle markets started functioning on October 12.
The government set up 20 cattle markets in the capital which were mostly flooded by oxen, cows and goats imported from India. Although fewer in number, there were also animals brought up by local entrepreneurs.
“I bought an ox at a cost Tk32,000, the asking price of which was Tk28,000 on Monday,” said Abdul Motaleb Bhuiyan, while returning from the city’s Baridhara cattle market. “However, I am still happy because I had to pay almost Tk40,000 for an ox of the same size last year.”
Besides the authorised cattle markets, many unauthorised ones were also set up on pavements and roadside areas, where animals can be purchased at comparatively lower prices.
However, several traders said they expected a further price jump on Tuesday as most political leaders and influential people are expected to buy their animals on the last day before Eid.
The business is slated to continue till the end of Wednesday.