Online buying of sacrificial animals: Pandemic situation, restrictions increase popularity

KARACHI: Corona virus has become a valid excuse for profiteers in every business, and sacrificial animal's traders too are taking full advantage of this situation by demanding unexpected high prices of goat, sheep and cows. People have started visiting the main cattle market at Super Highway and various unauthorized markets to buy animals for Eid-ul-Azha, but are unwilling to pay the sky-high prices, which have almost tripled compared to the previous year.

Although only three days left in Eid-ul-Azha, the traders who have bought animals in large number and sifted them to cattle market at Super Highway are now concerned about their sales due to less interest of buyers. Many of them are not interested to reduce price and would like to take their animals back home.

While purchasing power general public and middle and lower income group has fallen due to virus restrictions, the sellers, on the contrary, want to make up for the losses they have incurred during the months-long lockdown, leading to a significant increase in animal prices. There is no shortage of animals. A large number of goat, sheep and cows are available this year but the problem is the lack of ability to buy.

A number of citizens, when asked, said it was difficult for them to buy goats or sheep as the prices were out of their range, terming corona virus pandemic, unimaginable and uncontrollable increase of prices of essential goods the reason barring them from buying the animals. They regretted that it had become very difficult to perform the religious ritual.

A handful of private business entities have brought digital cattle markets to help people in carrying out their religious duties overcoming the COVID-19 threat. Eid-ul-Azha, the holy festival of sacrifice is approaching with a different flavor this year. There are several banners in the city inviting people to visit their website for online purchase of animals and see their photo and prices. They also offered to deliver the selected superficial annuals to doorsteps, slaughtered or donated to charity. The government has also begun encouraging people to buy sacrificial animals for an upcoming festival through online outlets, to reduce the number of new coronavirus cases in the country. Health experts have also warned that despite a downhill trend in virus cases in the past few weeks, the threat is not over. Markets providing online buying and sacrificial services have existed in Pakistan for years. However, the pandemic situation coupled with new restrictions has increased their popularity by manifold this year. However several unauthorized sacrificial animal markets popped in the city, corona virus and financial crunch have started to give a tough time customers and they may not be able get sacrificial animals in their estimated budget owing extraordinary high prices.

Although the animals available online were expensive than those in open market, but according to the some of the customers it was worth spending extra money, as it saves them from corona virus and a long exercise required in visiting market, dealing with the traders.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020