Vendors haggle with customers at a cattle market set up on the outskirts of Multan ahead of Eidul Azha. photo: app
LAHORE:
As Eidul Azha approaches, the prices of sacrificial animals in cattle markets have once again become a point of debate as buyers complain of unusually high prices while traders claim they are not receiving fair returns for their livestock.
Unlike most commodities, Pakistan has no official pricing formula or regulatory mechanism to determine the cost of sacrificial animals. Experts note that prices are generally based on several factors, including age, weight, race, health, physical appearance and prevailing market demand.
In cattle markets, common goats and sheep are sold in the range of Rs 90,000 to Rs 125,000, while premium breeds are priced between Rs 200,000 and Rs 400,000.
Similarly, medium-sized bulls and calves are available from Rs300,000 to Rs700,000, whereas high-bred and heavier animals are offered between Rs800,000 and Rs1.5 million. Camel prices range from Rs500,000 to as high as Rs2 million.
Pet traders maintain that animal prices cannot be based on a single benchmark, as several variables affect valuation. Abdul Rehman, a dealer who brought goats from Bahawalpur for sale, said the prices are decided after judging the breed, weight, health, size, appearance and market demand.
“Animals of superior breeds and attractive appearance usually attract more demand, which naturally increases their prices,” he said.
Another trader, Mian Shafiq, said rising costs of feed, medicine, transport and general animal care are also directly affecting prices. He added that animals with higher demand fetch better prices while animals with lower demand are sold at comparatively reduced prices.
Rana Mubashir Hassan, a breeding farm owner, said that producing high-quality animals requires significant investment, which is reflected in their higher market value. He added that farms incur ongoing costs for feed, health care and vaccination.
On the other hand, buyers have described the current prices as too high. A citizen, Aftab Ahmed, said traders are demanding prices that “touch the sky”. He added that while sellers set prices based on breed and weight, buyers usually bid according to their financial capacity.
“When traders do not hesitate to demand very high prices, buyers also do not hesitate to offer much lower amounts,” he noted.
A spokesman for the Punjab Cattle Market Management and Development Company, Sheikh Asad Zafar, said there is no official formula or standard mechanism for fixing the prices of sacrificial animals.
According to him, traders independently determine prices based on breed, weight, health and appearance, and the company does not interfere in the pricing process.
He added that action is taken when complaints of fraud or deception are received from either buyers or sellers. The spokesman advised citizens to only buy animals from registered cattle markets and designated enclosures set up by the company and to avoid buying from street vendors.
He further clarified that sacrificial animals are not officially marked or numbered through any formal system.
Meanwhile, competition between cattle traders and buyers has intensified across markets, with a visible increase in the supply of both small and large sacrificial animals, although buyer turnout remains relatively subdued.
Despite greater supply, the number of buyers has not increased proportionately, creating a competitive environment in terms of prices and sales between traders and buyers.
