Sales of beef, chickens go up implying less sacrifice of animals this Eid

Sales of beef and chickens have gone up in the kitchen market ahead of Eid-ul-Azah, the second largest religious festival of Muslims with the norm of sacrificing animals. 

Traders said sales of these two items are much higher today (9 July) than two-three days ago.

The sudden surge in demand has led to a rise in prices with beef being sold at Tk700 per kilogram. 

Mominul Islam, a beef trader in Karwan Bazar, said the price of beef has increased by Tk20 per kg as the demand has doubled the day before Eid. 

Another trader Tofael Ahmed said he usually slaughters four cows per day. But today was exceptional with the beef of seven cows already sold out by the afternoon. 

When asked about reasons behind the rise in sales ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, Mominul said those who cannot buy animals for sacrificing in Eid-ul-Azha buy meat the days before. 

But this time there is more demand because it seems that more people are not able to sacrifice animals, Mominul explained.

"The less people will sacrifice the more our sales will be,'' he added.

In addition to beef, the sales and prices of chickens have increased as well. 

Traders of Karwan Bazar, Hatirpool said their sales of chickens have gone up despite Eid-ul-Azha with Tk20-Tk30 price hike. 

Chicken trader Nazrul Islam said he sold 700 chikens on Saturday already wheres his regular sale was 300 in other days. 

In reply to why people buying chickens instead of beef, Rabiul Islam, a vendor in the New Eskaton area, said those who are not sacrificing are buying chickens. 

Also among those who are sacrificing, many people buy chickens to increase Eid items, so the demand for chickens has increased.

Along with beef and chicken, the spice market is booming, with most traders reporting better sales this time around than in the past two years.

Haroon-ur-Rashid, a wholesale spice trader in Karwan Bazar, said, "The demand for spices is going well. For the last one week, I have sold spices worth Tk 5-6 lakh a day.

But today the fish market in Kawran market was completely empty. There were barely any sellers and buyers.

Fish seller Kamal Uddin said there is not much demand for fish in Eid-ul-Azha, and those who need fish have already taken it two days ago.