Barely three days to Sallah, ram sellers in Birnin Kebbi have complained of low patronage as buyers lament increased prices.
A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria in the state capital showed that despite the fact that the market was moving at a snail speed, yet prices of animals were on the high side.
A check at the animal market (Kara) in Birnin Kebbi indicated that the rate of buying and selling was very low compared to previous years.
Speaking in an interview with NAN, a representative of the Animal Sellers’ Association Chairman, Malam Aliyu Haido said the market was not moving as expected, attributing it to lack of money in the hands of people.
He listed other factors including non-payment of salaries, high cost of animal feeds as well as high rate of inflation, which he said affected not only animals but also all marketable items.
Haido said a ram that cost N60,000 last year now goes for about N85,000, a goat that used to be N20,000 now costs N30,000, while a cow that was sold for N200,000 last year now costs between N300,000 and N350,000.
He appealed to the government to assist them with loan facilities to boost their business and make things easy for both buyers and sellers.Malam Musa Mansur, a ram seller in the state capital, said the market was frustrating, expressing optimism that salaries would be paid before Sallah to enable workers to perform the holy sacrifice.
He said many of their colleagues were pushed out of business due to the high cost of transportation, the high cost of the animals in addition to overspending on security personnel at roadblocks.
On his part, Mr Olanrewaju Lawal, a customer, linked the low patronage to a shortage of funds in the hands of most residents as well as high prices of cattle.
Lawal attributed the high cost of not only ram but also essential commodities to the hike in fuel price “which virtually affected everything.
“However, we hope the new government will come up with palliative to cushion the effect of subsidy removal,” he said.
While lamenting the high cost of ram, Lawal recalled that last year, he bought two moderate sizes of rams at N53,000 and N60,000, respectively, but such rams now cost about N85,000.
(NAN)
