Livestock market gets ready for Eid

JEDDAH: As residents across the Kingdom prepare for the ritual of sacrifice on Eid Al-Adha, the livestock market is expected to remain stable compared to last year.  
The Ministry of Agriculture and the Jeddah Municipality mentioned that the prices will range between SR450 to SR2,000, depending on the weight, health and variety of the sacrificial animal, which is typically a goat or sheep.
According to a local report, although there was an increase in the supply, livestock traders witnessed a fall in demand of sheep in last two months that resulted in a decline in prices. Abdullah, a local trader, commenting on this said: “The cause of this recession was due to the weak consumer purchasing power that overlapped with the holy month of Ramadan and the traveling season. Thus, it resulted in a plentiful livestock supply that will adequately meet the high demand during the Eid Al-Adha, and help in stabilizing prices.”
“Even though people rush to buy an animal during this special occasion, it is expected that the prices will not be allowed to skyrocket,” he added.
Likewise, another goat seller, Nasser, said, “As you get closer to Eid Al-Adha, the prices of animals rise since it costs us more, and we sell them at a higher price to keep our margin. But this year, the supply is enough to meet the local demand, and prices have been set at a stable range.”
However, despite the adequate supply of various types of sheep, residents are still concerned that the sheep traders can exploit and inflate prices ahead of Eid Al-Adha.
“It is important that the authorities do strict monitoring and conduct field inspections to restrict the prices. Although it’s a free market, fixed rates on the sale of the animal will not allow traders to increase prices during the peak season,” said Hamza Rahman, a resident of Jeddah.
To ease the services for the residents, the municipality has also arranged all the facilities at the livestock market and abattoir during the Eid Al-Adha.
In addition to this, the officials have also advised residents to utilize the facilities arranged by them, that is to get their animals and the meat inspected from the authorized abattoirs in order to make sure of its safety and to protect the public from diseases. They also warned against illegal sacrificing by freelance butchers and if found, they may face heavy fines.