Govt promotes virtual cattle markets; traders fear slump in sales

In a rapidly deteriorating Covid situation across the country, the government is promoting virtual cattle markets for the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha; but traders worry whether buyers will be interested in buying sacrificial animals online.

The government is in favour of online markets to avoid the usual massive gatherings in the cattle markets, which may worsen the corona situation further. 

Less than 1% of the total sacrificial animals were sold online last year, traders say, adding that buyers showed less interest in digital marketplaces due to infrastructural limitations and the lack of credibility.

According to a circular issued by the fisheries and livestock ministry on Monday, initiatives are being taken to create online platforms for selling sacrificial animals this year, as the usual way of purchasing animals at cattle markets amid huge crowds during the ongoing lockdown may trigger panic. 

The officials of the livestock ministry have been asked to remain active at the field level and to work in coordination with local representatives and administration to assist cattle farmers in selling animals online. They will also encourage buyers to choose animals from online platforms.  

Moreover, veterinary surgeons have been instructed to issue certificates after examining animals. 

The ministry said it hoped that virtual cattle markets would be popular this year.

Livestock Department Deputy Director (Farm) Jinat Sultana said, "Last year, we tried to organise online cattle markets at the district and upazila level. Connecting farmers to the digital marketplaces has been continued this year. Extensive preparations have been made. Last year, cattle worth around Tk600 crore were sold online. Hopefully, the amount will be much bigger this time."

Shah Mohammad Imran, general secretary of Bangladesh Dairy Farmers' Association, however, is not that hopeful about the prospect of online sales. 

According to him, a maximum of 3-5% of animals can be sold online. For the sales of more than one crore animals, "we have to rely on the conventional market," Imran said. 

Already, the financial capacity of people has shrunk due to the ongoing pandemic. If the management of cattle markets is not good, traders will suffer hugely.

Apart from giving importance to the protection of public health, the government has to organise conventional cattle markets, maintaining social distance and health safety guidelines for the sake of traders, Imran said. 

"We have assured the government of all kinds of cooperation from our side. We have to keep in mind that cattle farmers should not suffer any loss after rearing animals throughout the year targeting the Eid," the cattle trader added.

On a limited scale, online sales of animals have already begun. Farmers and merchants are making lucrative offers. Many e-commerce companies have also made arrangements to deliver meat after the slaughtering. 

Mohammad Abdul Waheed Tamal, general secretary of the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh, said, "Hundreds of merchants are working with us to sell their cattle online. We have targeted to sell 50,000 animals in Dhaka and one lakh animals across the country. Based on the demand, we will be able to slaughter 1,000 cows in Dhaka and deliver the meat to homes."

But to buy products online, he continued, one has to choose a reliable platform. Otherwise, he or she might be deceived. In that case, if a buyer considers activities of any online platform suspicious, he should immediately inform the law enforcement agencies. 

"We believe that online sales of animals will increase in the future, if buyers' interests are protected efficiently."

According to the fisheries and livestock ministry, there are 1.41 crore cattle in the country and among those more than 1.19 crore will be sold before this Eid. 

Due to the reduced financial capability of the people, the number of buyers this year is likely to be comparatively less. 

Amid this vulnerable situation, the ongoing lockdown has raised new concerns among cattle farmers. 

Due to the restrictions on all kinds of public transports amid the lockdown that presumably will be extended further, farmers are worried whether they will at all be able to bring animals to the markets. 

Mansur Ahmed, owner of SAC Agro Farm in Keraniganj, said, "We have 150 animals suitable for sacrifice, of which 70 are relatively large in size. We fear that there will be fewer customers for these big-sized cows." 

The farm is not very optimistic about online sales. 

Mansur said, "Last year, I tried to sell online, but people showed less faith in buying sacrificial animals online. They are not accustomed to the idea yet. It will take several years to be familiar with the process."

Saimun Sanjid Chowdhury, acquisition manager of e-commerce site Daraz Bangladesh Limited, told TBS, "We have been running the campaign of online cattle markets for the last four years. Through Daraz, rural farmers get a fair price for cattle. A good number of rural cattle farmers are now relying on our platform. We successfully sold 170+ sacrificial cows last year, a 140% growth compared to the previous year. This year, we are targeting to sell over 250 cows and over 150 goats."

AFM Asif, CEO Bengal Meat, the organisation that pioneered online sales of sacrificial animals seven years ago, said, "We have a target to sell at least 1,000 animals this year." 

He appreciated investments of educated entrepreneurs in this sector and the strict monitoring of the government over the imports of sacrificial animals from abroad.

Govt-sponsored livestock platforms

In addition to digitalhaat.net, the government-sponsored online platform for buying sacrificial animals, cattle are also being sold at various e-commerce sites including bikroy.com, Evaly.com.bd, daraz.com.bd, othoba.com, qurbani.bengalmeat.com, priyoshop.com, and deshigoru.com.

Apart from this, more than a hundred companies, including Qcom.com, Samarai Cattle, Sadek Agro, deshigarubidi.com and Meghdubi Agro have started selling animals at their own websites. The price of the cow or goat is being determined on the basis of live weight. In the case of cows, the price is set at Tk360-Tk400 a kg.