Sacrificial animals’ sale drops by 60%; mutton dealers slash prices

Srinagar: Sales of sacrificial animals have dropped by 60 percent in Kashmir.

Mutton dealers claimed that the demand for sacrificial animals this Eid was low compared to the previous year, citing economic distress among the people.

“Compared to the Eid-ul Adha last year, we are reporting a dip of about 60 percent in our sales. We have enough sacrificial animals available which included our local production and imports from neighboring states. Yet we struggle to get customers,” said Khazir Mohammad Regoo, President of Mutton Dealers Association Kashmir.

He said in the last two days as many as 100 trucks loaded with sheep have reached the valley.

“An additional 50 trucks will reach by tomorrow. Out of 100 trucks, only 20 have been sold yet. People are going through economic distress, which is affecting the sales of sacrificial animals. This year we had anticipated good sales due to which we ramped up our imports from neighboring states including Himachal Pradesh, New Delhi, Rajasthan, and Punjab,” Regoo said.

He said sheep of various breeds, which included Kajuwala, Marwari, and Nawalgarhi, have been put up for sale this Eid.

“Following the low demand, the rates of sacrificial animals in many places have gone down. From Rs 420 per kilogram, the sacrificial animal is being sold at Rs 380 per kg at many places,” he said.

The low demand is equally affecting the local Gujjars and Bakarwals, who are currently on their seasonal migration to Kashmir.

“This time the demand is very low. I used to sell over 250-300 sheep and goats on Eid. For the last two weeks, I could sell only 30 sheep. Our entire earning depends on sales of sheep and goat on Eid,” Mohammad Iqbal Khatana, a Bakarwal herdsman.

Khatana said they hope that demand will soar this weekend. “In Srinagar and other towns, sales usually surge ahead of Eid. Our members are right now stationed in all the towns of Kashmir to sell their animals,” he said.

Apart from sheep and goats, many people prefer to sacrifice camel on Eid-Ul-Adha. For the last few years, many dealers from Kashmir imported camels from Rajasthan for sale on Eid-ul- Adha.