There has come adequate supply of cows in the cattle markets of Barisal city so far with Eid-ul-Azha only a couple of days away. Cattle crisis will not be seen in any of the markets here, assured market sources. Cattle, mostly of the local breeds from the distant villages of the region, have arrived in all the markets in large numbers.  But traders are still charging high prices for those showing cause of increased transportation cost. During visit to three cattle markets of the city yesterday, it could be assessed that it will take one more day for the cattle sale to get momentum. The traders mostly blamed extortion, high cost of transport and costlier fodders for the high prices of cattle this Eid. Reports received from major cattle markets of the region at Baghiya, Kawnia, Rupatoli, Boalia, Mohonganj said that both the cattle traders and buyers were found unhappy in the markets. The traders claimed that they were failing to get prices of their cattle even as per their expectation.
Costs of transportation and others have doubled this year than the last year, but they are not getting the prices for the cattle accordingly. On the other hand, customers said that forming a syndicate, the traders were charging far higher prices for the cattle than the last year on the false plea of stoppage of entry of Indian cattle. Lokman Hosen, a trader at Rupatoli cattle market of the city, yesterday noon said many customers were just roaming around, only comparing prices of sacrificial animals instead of buying them. A few of the small number of buyers who came in the city  cattle markets said they would rather assess the markets again today (Wednesday) than buying any cattle right then.
However, both the buyers and traders admitted that there would be no cattle crisis in the markets this year. Some big chunks of supplies of  cattle were found to have came from Kustia, Meherpur and Jessore and most of them were of local breeds. Mainul Hosen, lease holder of Rupatoli cattle market, said that demand for Indian cattle has remained ever low here because quality of meat of the local cattle was far better than that of the Indian ones. He said buyers mostly bought cattle at Tk 50,000 to 78,000 each.  An Indian cattle sold at minimum Tk 1.20 lakh. Ainal Ali, Shohidul Isla and Ibrahim Molla, traders to came in Baghiya cattle market from Bhola, Charfashion and Mehediganj said prices of cattle have fall in their area. As a result, a large number of traders were sending their cattle to Dhaka and Chitagong every day. Manobendra Lal Das, divisional livestock officer of Barisal, after visiting eight cattle markets, said that there was no crisis of the cattle. “We have a stock of minimum nine lakh animals of standard of sacrifice, including cows, goats and buffaloes in Barisal region,” he added. He predicted that price of cattle will fall just before of the Eid-ul- Azah. According to market sources, bulls  of exceptionally big size were priced at Tk 1.70 at Rupatoli cattle market yesterday. On the other hand, Taka 80,000 to Tk1,20 lakh were being charged for each of the big size bulls. A middle size bull was being sold at Tk 60,000 to Tk 75,000 while a small one was being priced at  Tk 55,000 to Tk60,000 .