Hyderabad: With Eid Al Adha around the corner, prices of sacrificial animals in the city have gone up by about 30 per cent because of the second-wave of COVID-19 lockdown this year, the market sources said.
Eid Al Adha which is popularly known as Bakrid in Telangana, particularly in Hyderabad, is expected to be celebrated in a subdued manner. Eid Al Adha, the second most important festival of Muslims, will be celebrated across the country on July 21—Wednesday.
Although the rules of COVID-19 were relaxed to some extent by the state government, its effect is not visible on the festival. There is general lack of enthusiasm in cattle and sheep markets.
Although, several temporary sheep markets this year have also come up at some places in the city including Khilwat ground, AC Guards, Chanchalguda, Chandrayangutta, Mehdipatnam, Falaknuma, Babanagar, Amberpet, Ziaguda and others.
Traders, as well as buyers at the sheep sale market in Hyderabad, have expressed concern over the high cost of the animal as well as the transportation charges.
One of the buyers at Tolichowki, Mohd Aqeelur Rahman, had gone to buy goats. He said that he was taken aback upon observing the high prices of animals. He said he had purchased two goats for Rs 22,000. A similar of animals he had bought for around Rs 9,000.
Speaking to siasat.com, the meat shop owners said that the demand for sheep has increased this year because of the lesser animals.
A sheep weighing around 14-16 kg is priced between Rs 12,000 and 15,000 rupees, he said
“The supply of Telangana potla (sheep) in Telangana is very less, as compared to previous years. High demand for such animals has and lesser supply had worked in flaring up the prices,” said Mohammad Mushtaq, owner of a meat shop in Malakpet.
“Last year, due to the first wave of the COVID-19, people did not buy like they usually do on Eid Al Adha. This year because of the lockdown prices have higher,” said Mohd Aleem Uddin, a sheep trader at Santoshnagar.
The city-based NGO ‘Sahayata Trust’ is distributing 20,000 COVID-19 protection kits on the occasion of Eid across the city. The kits include hand sanitizer, mask, plastic animal litter bags and a religious guide. The kits will be delivered to the door by Trust volunteers at various locations in the city, the NGO said.