Some residents of Kano metropolis have decried hike in prices of rams and other livestock as Muslim faithful prepare for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
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Eid-el-Kabir is an annual event observed by Muslim faithful in which they sacrifice rams, sheep, cows and other livestock.
The Eid celebration is marked on the 10thday of Dhul-Hijja of the 12th months of the Islamic Calendar (Hijra).
A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Kofar Ruwa and Unguwa Uku livestock markets and other sales outlets in the metropolis indicated that prices shot up by over 40 per cent, as against what was obtainable within the same period in the past one year.
A small sized ram is sold at N25,000 and a medium sized one goes for N50,000 while a well-bred ram attracts between N80,000 and N150,000 as against its previous prices of N15,000; 30,000 and N80,000, respectively.
An average sheep costs N25,000 while a big sized sheep goes for N40,000 as against their old prices of N15,000 and 30,000, respectively.
Cattle also indicated similar increase in prices amid high patronage for the animals during the festive season.
An average cow is sold at N100,000 and well-bred bull costs as much as N300,000.
Traders at the market attributed the hikes to the increase in transport fares and animal feeds.
Malam Maigari Abdullahi, a ram dealer, said that prices were up due to high cost of transportation and animal feeds.
Abdullahi noted that the animals were being transported to the markets from villages in Kaduna, Jigawa, Yobe, Borno and Bauchi States as well as Niger Republic.
“The animals are being supplied from neighboring states, we spent a lot on transportation and animal feeds which resulted to the hike in prices,” he said.
Another trader, Sirajo Danliti, who decried the poor market condition, expressed the hope that prices would go down in view of the expected increase in the supply of the animals.
“We are not making good sales, we are hoping that the market condition will improve in the coming days.”
However, Abubakar Sulaiman, a resident, blamed the traders for the hike in prices.
Sulaiman said that he bought a ram at the cost of N45,000 which caused a heavy drain in his pockets.
“I bought the same size of ram for N25,000 during the previous festive season.
“The traders are taking advantage of the festivities to exploit buyers,” he said.
Another resident, Ibrahim Maikudi, lamented that most families in the area could not afford to slaughter rams this season due to the exorbitant prices.
Maikudi called on the traders to reduce prices to enable the faithful to celebrate the Eid in a happy mood.