By Muhammad Tanko Shittu
Jos
With barely two days for the Muslims to observe the annual sacrifice of rams and other livestock prescribed for sacrifice as enjoined by Allah (SWT), the prices of rams have been hiked up in Jos.
A market survey conducted by our correspondent yesterday, revealed that though there were availability of rams at the main Yanshanu Market as well as other spots within Jos city, sellers complained of low patronage.
It was observed that a lot of rams were brought into the market with little presence of buyers, a situation which the sellers described as, “a unlike situation of the festive period, which is characterize by non availability of funds in the hands of people.”
Abdullahi Romeo is the PRO of Yanshanu Livestock Dealers Association who decried that unlike last year where four days to the festive period livestock, most especially rams, were in short supply, “there was high patronage, but you can see the market full of with rams and no buyers.”
He said even though the patronage was low prices had hiked by about 50 per cent compared to previous years.
Malam Abdurraham Usman is a buyer who was cited by Blueprint bargaining on a price of ram, who said he was at the market for two days, but could not afford the price.
“I was here yesterday; I couldn’t buy because the same size I bought last year at N30, 000, was costing N45, 000. I am here today very prepared to see that I get one. It is religious obligation that one has to fulfill for God sake.”
The Plateau state government committee saddled with the responsibility of procuring and distributing rams were also sighted at the livestock market.
Our correspondent reports that average rams were sold at between N45 and N50, 000, while those on the higher size were priced at between N125, 000 and 130, 000, respectively.
