Dhaka cattle market turns gloomy as customers wait for price to drop before Eid

Cattle traders in different Dhaka markets have expressed unhappiness about the prices of sacrificial animals being ‘too low’ as the customers are biding their time for the price to fall further before the Eid-ul-Azha.

The cattle markets in the capital looked very busy on Thursday, but the traders said "not many cattle were being sold".

On the other hand, the customers said they were waiting for a further drop in prices before the Eid day. 

Sabuj Bepari from Tangail was asking for Tk 1.5 million for a cow he named 'Kalu Mastan' at a market in Kamalapur ahead of the Eid.

"Customers agreed to pay up to Tk 800,000. I may sell it if I get a little better offer," he said. 

Ehsanul Karim from Paribagh bought two cows at Tk 132,000. He said the price was much higher than last year. "I bought such cows at Tk 50,000 each," he said.  

Businessman Shah Alam from Basabo was yet to buy any animal after surveying several markets.

"The traders are yet to cut prices. The market condition is not clear to me yet. I hope the traders will sell the cattle at the last moment," he said.

Matiar Rahman bought 14 cows from Chuadanga. He was asking Tk 1.2 million for the heavier one.

He could sell only one cow - not that one priced Tk 1.2 million, until evening.

The trader said the news of cows arriving from India had affected the market.

"The customers are not buying yet. But do you see any Indian cow in this market?" he asked the bdnews24.com correspondent.

Customers at Uttara also said the traders were charging more than last year.

Indian cows were seen arriving in a market in Uttara, but prices were not going down.

Indian cows were also pricier than last year.