LAHORE: Nearly 781,435 sacrificial animals of all kinds were sold for about Rs100 billion in all 118 regular cattle markets (Mandis) operated by the Punjab Cattle Market Management & Development Company (PCMDC), a subsidiary of the Local Government & Community Development Department, from June 19 to June 29.

The number of the sacrificial animals sold in temporary sale points setup by the respective metropolitan/municipal corporations, town committees etc is yet to be calculated by the authorities concerned, Dawn has learnt.

`This time, we can say that trade of sacrificial animals has declined by nearly 30 percent due to very high prices of sacrificial animals, lowered incomes of prospective buyers, inflation and other issues. In several Mandis, manytraders even returned home after failing to get the desired prices of their animals with plans to sell them either on next Eid or to meat exporters,` a senior official concerned explained while talking to Dawn on Sunday.

According to a document available with Dawn, from June 19 to 29, as many as 39,150 big animals (cows, bulls, camels, calves etc) and 149,100 small ones (goats, lambs etc) were brought to the four regular cattle market of Lahore division, most of them to the one at Shahpur Kanjran (Lahore city district)-the Punjab`s largest organised cattle market. Of these, 38,350 big and 148,000 small animals were sold till the first day of Eid on June 29.

In Dera Ghazi Khan division`s 22 Mandis, 33,240 big and 128,049 small animals were brought. Out of these 18,160 big and 85,157 small ones were sold. Similarly, Bahawalpur division`s 19 cattle markets received 27,272 big and60,949 small animals, out of which 16,437 big and 43,031 small animals were sold. Multan division`s 15 regular markets attracted 61,256 big and 70,962 small animals. Out of these, 47,187 big and 55,511 small animals were sold till the first day ofEid, the document mentions.

As many as 46,846 big and 83,823 small animals were brought to Sahiwal division`s 17 marl(ets, of which 25,547 big and 52,427 small animals were sold from June 19 to 29. In Faisalabad division`s 15 cattle markets, 51,602 big and 111,886 small animals were brought, of which 48,729 big and 105,238 small animals were sold. Sargodha division`s 14 cattle markets received 22,342 big and 46,160 small animals, of which 10,893 small and 25,287 small ones were sold. In Rawalpindi division`s seven markets, total 30,566 big and 39,953 small animals were brought, out of which 18,322 big and 23,254 small animals were sold.

Gujranwala division`s five marl(ets received 8,512 big and 14,649 small animals, of which 7,299 big and 11,506 small animals were sold till June 29.

`If we calculate their average prices, the big and small animal remains over Rs2OO,000 and Rs100,000, respectively.

Thus the total price of sold animals is estimated to be Rs100 billion approximately,` the of ficial claimed, adding that Lahore division cattle markets (especially Shahpur Kanjran on Multan Road) topped in animals` sale. `The reason behind this is the footfall of customers, mostly the affording ones,` he maintained.

He said a day before the Eid, 90pc ofsmall and 70pc of big animals had been sold, as the Mandi was almost found empty on the second and third day of Eid.

To a question, he said the animal prices were 30pc to 40pc higher than the last year`s. `The goat sold for Rs60,000 last year was sold in Rs100,000 this year.

Similarly, he said, the cow/bull available for Rs2OO,000 last year, was sold at Rs300,000 this year. This resulted in a massive decline in the purchase of animals, as the prices were mostly beyond people`s financial capacity due to various economic issues prevailing in the country in general, he believed.

To another question, he said no data related to sale/purchase of the sacrincial animals at the temporary sale points setup by the local governments concerned in Lahore and other divisions/ districts of the province, was available. `As far as I know, they have not compiled such data. May be, they (the of ficials) compile it at a later stage, he added.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tanneries Association`s former chairman Agha Syeddain claims that as many as 6.30 million sacrificial animals worth Rs367 billion approximately were brought for sale. However, a 30pc decline in the sale has also brought down the volume of hide collection.