By Mohammed Hussain
Hyderabad: With just about a day left for Eid Al Adha (Bakrid) which will be celebrated on Monday the makeshift sheep markets across the city have begun doing brisk business.
According to market sources about 100,000 sheep have been brought to the city from within Telangana and neighbouring states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. “Since Hyderabad is considered to be a major sheep market during Bakrid farmers bring in livestock from as far as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh,” a part time businessman who has invested about Rs 2 lakh in the business said.
The traders and part-time traders believe that all their stocks would be sold out though the market is not as ‘hot’ as they had expected.
Though the Eid is celebrated for three days about 80 per cent of Muslims prefer to make the sacrifice on the first day that is Monday.
The average rate of a six-month to one-year-old sheep which weighs live around 12 to 14 kg is about Rs 7000. The price goes up as one searches for heavier and better quality sheep.
A trader said that a buyer would save some money when he buys a Jodi or couple which is going for about Rs.15,000.
He also said that the prices of sheep this year have witnessed about 10 to 20 per cent increase than previous years. This is mainly because of the incessant rain that has affected the transport of livestock. “The prices of the sheep vary owing to its breed and weight,” Hussain Ali who is selling livestock at Toli Chowki said.
Many parts of the city, especially in the old quarters are dotted with makeshift markets that are selling sheep in flood lights. Areas that are witnessing brisk business are Malakpet, Chandrayanagutta, Chanchalguda, Bahadurpura, Nagar, Mehdipatnam, Tolichowki and Golconda.
Mohammed Iqbal, who has been engaged in this business for the last two decades said, “It appears that the stock in the market is good as compared with the previous year. We hope to make some profits this time.”
Shaik Majeed, another trader near Tolichowki, who sells big sized sheep, said that the price of a pair of local breed (Telangana potla), ranges from Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 55,000.
Most of these sheep were procured from local markets like Jalpally, Ziyaguda and nearby districts like Bhongir, Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Gadwal, Sangareddy, Zaheerabad, Vikarabad, Tandur, Kurnool and Anantapur.
“The sheep are of different types like Telangana Potla, Dumba, Kadga, Nasi, Khassi, Mendha, Jamunapuri (with long ears) etc. The Khassi is the costliest breed which starts from Rs 50,000 a pair and depending on the size may touch up to Rs 1 lakh. This breed is generally bred in many households in northern India,” he added.