As Eidul Azha approaches, Karachi’s cattle markets are bustling, but buyers are struggling with a sharp rise in animal prices, reportedly 50 to 70 per cent higher than last year, causing frustration due to the absence of government price regulation.
Goats now start at around Rs40,000, while even the lightest heifers are rarely available below Rs140,000.
Last year’s Rs100,000 heifers are now going for Rs200,000 or more, pricing many middle-income families out of the market.
Traders point to increased fodder, fuel, transportation, and local maintenance costs as key reasons behind the price hike.
Kashif Qureshi, a trader, explained, “The cost of fodder alone has surged by over 50 per cent.”
He detailed how animals are first purchased from larger markets in Punjab and Sindh and then transported to Karachi, where expenses pile up, eventually resulting in a profit margin ranging from Rs15,000 to Rs200,000, depending on the animal.
Animal prices are also shaped by breed, size, and appearance. Although 13 official cattle markets are set up across Karachi, traders are also selling informally in neighbourhoods, often without any oversight.
Heifers of average build now range between Rs200,000 and Rs300,000, with premium breeds fetching up to Rs2 million from affluent buyers.
Even goat prices have soared. Saifuddin, a goat trader, shared that animals once priced at Rs30,000 to Rs35,000 now sell for Rs50,000 to Rs60,000, depending on build and breed, with some goats costing up to Rs300,000.
Rams and sheep follow a similar pricing trend, with animals ranging between Rs40,000 and Rs200,000.
Camel trader Ibrahim Din noted a rise in camel sacrifices recently, though still limited. Camels brought from Sindh now cost at least Rs300,000.
Karachi residents are upset with the unchecked prices. Saeed-ul-Zafar from Nazimabad shared, “There needs to be a government-regulated pricing mechanism for sacrificial animals,” after paying Rs240,000 for a heifer that cost Rs150,000 last year.
Asif Abbasi from Saddar echoed the sentiment: “Traders are charging arbitrary prices. I bought a goat for Rs60,000 this year, which cost me just Rs35,000 last Eid.”
With no pricing controls, the tradition of sacrifice continues, but many are forced to negotiate hard just to afford it.