COVID-19 pandemic
APP
PESHAWAR
As only five days left in Eidul Azha, online sale of sacrificial animals has achieved upward boom in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to threats of coronavirus pendamic.
The online sale of sacrificial animals includes buffalos, cows, oxen, goats and sheeps on social media platforms were attracting substantial numbers of buyers on this Eid.
In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, different organizations dealing with cattle business were using digital technology and social media like OLX, Facebook and Instagram to attract maximum number of customers and earns handsome profits on Eidul Azha.
The enterprises specialising in sale of sacrificial animals and related services, have entered the digital market space as customers opt to minimise the risk of contracting the COVID-19 disease by purchasing sacrificial animals online for performance of individual and collective Qurbani (sacrifice).
Resultantly, the online purchase of sacrificial animals through digital technology has started upward boom in KP this year compared to the previous year and people become able to purchase their choice animal on a fingertips while staying at homes.
A major chunk of the population across all major cities of the province has shown preference for home delivery of sacrificial animals to protect themselves from the virus.
“The number of buyers in cattle markets are low these days compare to last year due to increase of trend of online sale of sacrificial animals owning to threats of coronavirus,” said Haider Zaman, a cattle dealer in Lala Kala Cattle Market in Peshawar.
He said sacrificial animals were more in numbers than buyers these days and hopefully the sale in open market will increase in the last days ahead of Eidul Azha.
He said high fee of contractors of various cattle markets were also adding to financial difficulties of buyer paying Rs400 to Rs1000 per animal additionally after purchasing animals on sky-scraping prices.
Despite charging hefty amount from traders and buyers, he said no proper facility has been provided in the cattle markets by contractors and resultantly people were switching over to online shopping.
He said coronavirous has made negative effects on traditional livestock business on this Eid. Misal Khan, a retired Information Officer said he has opted for online purchase of sacrificial animal on this Eid in order to avert possible contraction of the coronavirus.
He said online shopping would save his time and money besides avoiding exposing myself to coronavirous.
He complained that people were being heavily charged by cattle traders in open markets and called for prices fixing mechanism of sacrificial animals to avert over charging.
He said the animals’ traders were charging people as per their own sweet will due to lack of price fixing mechanism of sacrificial animals in Peshawar where buyers were left with no choice but to go for online purchase of a suitable animal for performance of Qurbani (sacrifice).
He also complained about scarcity of car parking, poor lighting system, inadequate arrangements for disposal wastes, cleanliness and lack of fodder in cattle markets, which were adding to difficulties of buyers.
He demanded district administration to save buyers from swindlers and profiteers.
The online sale of sacrificial animals was helping salaried and middle class to purchase a suitable animal at affordable prices.
“Online prices of sacrificial animals are fixed, which can easily be purchased without bargaining,” said Khurshid Alam, an employee of public sector corporation.
He said online shopping would discourage heated debate between buyers and sellers and would ensure prices mechanism.
“I came to Peshawar’s Lala Kala Cattle Market from Nowshera with my other partners and have spent the whole day to purchase an ox on reasonable price but could not succeed,” said Ehtisham Khan, a lecturer of Urdu while talking to APP.
“Tomorrow, I will place an order for online shopping of sacrificial animal due to scorching heat and avert possible contraction of coronavirous,” he said.
In Peshawar, a buffalo, cow/ox and lean goat are now being sold between range of Rs.160,000-120,000, Rs 180,000-140,000 and Rs50,000-25,000 with substantial increase compare to last year in open market.
He said the price of of sheep and goat differs according to its beauty, weight and demand.
He said prices of cow and oxen were higher than buffalos that needed to be checked.
Livestock and Dairy Development KP officials told APP that approximately one lakh animals was being slaughtered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on occasion of Eidul Azha.
Traditionally KP relied on Punjab to fulfill sacrificial animals demands of people besides discouraging profiteering, he said adding 60 to 75pc sacrificial animals was being brought from Punjab and Sindh on Eid.
He said several check points on KP routes were setup to control smugglings of cattle and requested traders and buyers to adopt cleanliness in markets and bazaars besides strictly follow SOPs to avoid contraction of coronavirous.
He said strict action would be taken against violators of standard operating procedures and cattle markets would be sealed upon violation of Government orders.
