Skyrocketing prices of cattle & goat ahead of Eid

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Skyrocketing prices of cattle, goat and ongoing COVID-19 have deterred many people in the State from buying the animals on the eve of Eid-Ul-Azha or Bakri Eid, to be observed on August 1.

The prices of small goats start at Rs 18,000, the cost of medium sized goats varies between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 each. On other hand, the price of cattle starts from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2,00,000 each.

"We are facing a lot of difficulties and incurring heavy expenditure in transportation of cattle and goat this time due to the lockdown. We have no other option but to hike the prices," a cattle seller in the Hatigaon area in the city said.

Eid-Ul-Azha is the festival of sacrifice celebrated in the honour of prophet Ibrahim, the messenger in Islam who was willing to sacrifice his son as an act of respect towards Allah's command. Even though Muslims have started bargaining the prices of cattle and goat with sellers, many of them have dropped the plan to purchase due to very high prices and the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. "I have been purchasing goats for Eid for the last 10 years. But this time I have decided not to purchase the animal," Rashid Haque from Dispur area said.

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