This Bakrid, sheep prices set to burn a big hole in one's pocket

Hyderabad : A head of Bakrid, prices of sacrificial animals have gone up in Hyderabad. Traders attribute the rise in prices to different factors such as high demand, less supply, and due to the heavy rains that have been lashing the city and various parts of the State and country.

During Bakrid or Eid-ul-Adha which will be celebrated on Monday, the sheep, goats and cattle are in demand, but the animal traders are anxious with the ongoing rains. The traders started setting up the stalls on roadside in Falaknuma, Chandrayanagutta, Barkas, Malakpet, Chanchalguda, Engine Bowli, Kalapatthar, Bahadurpura, Kishan Bagh, Asif Nagar, Mehdipatnam, Tolichowki, Golconda, Bowenpally and some other areas, hopeful of selling of their stock before the festival.

The traders say each sheep, depending on their height and weight and health are priced ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 each. Depending on the size and breed the prices differ, and with the ongoing rainy season, the animals would be suffering with health issues and most of them would even die, say traders.

“The sheep are arriving to the city in wet condition following heavy rains in different States and from other parts of the city. We have put up halogen bulbs at the stalls to keep the animals dry and avert the possibility of attracting any disease,” said Mohammed Imtiaz, a trader at Chanchalguda. He also said that the prices may differ a night before Eid as per market situation.

Ahead of Eid, Muslims buying sheep for the annual ritual sacrifice have to shell out extra money each year compared to the previous year. The traders are facing hardship with the seasonal rains, increase in transportation costs, getting clearance certificates like fit to slaughter and fit to travel, and these factors are hitting the Muslims on their rituals.

Mohammed Nayeem, a trader at Tolichowki who had bought livestock from Vikarabad told The Hans India that there has been very strict rules/regulations to bring stock to city, after getting all certificates and receipts, after the examination of all animals the concerned authority is issuing certificates of fit to be slaughtered or fit to travel.

Shaik Nizam, a trader at Khilwath who has been doing business for past 20 years said, “Even though animals come from Jalpally and Jiyaguda farms, but due to the huge demand sheep are procured from Shadnagar, Bhongir, Nalgonda, Mahboobnagar, Gadwal, Sangareddy, Zaheerabad, Vikarabad, Tandur, Kurnool etc. and other breeds from other states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.”

Abubakar Bin Mohammed, another trader at Jalpally said that he sells Nellore breed sheep which is the tallest breed in India. Compared to previous year, the price has shot up this season, as he sells a pair of animals at a price Rs 65,000 which was at least 20 per cent more from previous year. The sheep come in different breeds like Telangana Potla, Dumba, Kadga, Nasi, Khassi, Menda, Jamunapuri with (long ears) and some other varieties. The Khassi is the costliest breed which starts from Rs 50,000 a pair and depending on the size the price may touch Rs 1 lakh. This breed is generally bred as a pet in most of the households in the countryside of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Maulana Mohammed Rizwan Qureshi, Khatib of Mecca Masjid said, “A sacrificial sheep or goat has to be above the age of one year. A sacrificial bull, ox or buffalo has to be above the age of two years, and the animal should be free from obvious defects.”

Hyderabad police holds coordination meeting

The Hyderabad City Police on Thursday held a coordination meeting with different government departments in view of Eid-ul-Adha at Salarjung Museum Auditorium.

Hyderabad commissioner Kothakota Sreenivasa Reddy assured everyone about full cooperation from the Police department for conducting a peaceful Bakrid. He also assured all the participants that the rules & regulations will be followed, and no one will be allowed to take the law into their hands. The GHMC and other officials from the electricity department, water works also assured full and uninterrupted facilities for peaceful and successful conduct of the festival.

Vikram Singh Mann, Addl CP, Law & Order, V Satyanarayana, Addl CP, HeadQuarters and Training and Amrapali, In-charge Commissioner, GHMC, Maulanas, Qureshis, and officials from waterworks, electricity and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department were also present.