As Nigerians prepare for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, residents of Epe in Lagos State are lamenting the high cost of livestock.
Eid el Kabir is a Muslim observance tentatively slated for June 17 in the calendar. It is meant to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah’s command.
A check by NAN on Thursday shows that while livestock sellers are decrying low patronage, customers, on the other hand, say the cost of livestock is exorbitant.
Though the livestock is available at the popular ram markets at Oke-Oyinbo and T-Junction in Epe, respectively, sellers are complaining of low patronage.
Mr Jide Jinadu, a buyer at Oke-Oyinbo Cattle Market, expressed his displeasure over what he termed “the ridiculous prices of ram” this year amidst economic hardship.
Jinadu said that in 2023, Muslims had by this time started buying rams to keep at home for the Sallah celebration, adding that, however, the reverse was the case this year.
“There are lots of livestock available for sale but because of high cost, there is low turnout of buyers.
“I wish as Sallah draws closer, the sellers may reduce their prices,” he said.
Another buyer, Dimeji Ogundeji, was optimistic that there would be a reduction in cost of ram, when more rams flood the markets in days to come.
“The competition is low for now. By the time more livestock dealers bring more rams to the community, I believe the prices will fall,” he said.
Yet another customer, Mr Jimoh Alao, said that the size of a cow that sold for N250,000 last year, now sells for as much as N450,000.
“I came to the market to buy one cow and two rams. But unfortunately, the money I have can only afford one cow.
“I pray something urgent can be done to regulate the prices of livestock in the market,” he said.
Mrs Yemisi Taiwo, a buyer, expressed her disappointment at the high price of rams at Oke-Oyinbo livestock market, saying that the market had been highly recommended to her because of its relatively cheap prices.
“A friend of mine recommended this market to me that livestock are relatively cheaper here but on getting here, it is another ball game entirely.
“As you can see the size of the ram I have just purchased for N280, 000, the same size sold for N170,000 last year.
The Chairman, Cattle Dealers Association at Oke-Oyinbo Market, Alhaji Ibrahim Gazu, attributed the high cost of livestock to the current economic hardship in the country.
According to him, the small, average and big rams this year are selling at N250,000, N300,000 and N400,000 respectively, as against N120,000, N165,000 and N195,000 they sold for the previous year.
He attributed the hike in prices of ram to the hike in fuel price, global security challenges and change of government.
“We also buy livestock from the farmers in the North. The amount we buy them determines the amount we sell and vice versa.
“We incur lots of expenses and we have to add it to the price of the rams. Transportation costs and others are not friendly too,” he said.
He said that a cow that used to sell for N230, 000, now sold for between N350, 000 and N470, 000.
He added that many of the livestock are brought from Niger Republic.
“People are complaining of the hike in price, but they must understand that we didn’t buy them cheap.
“So, there is nothing we can do but pray that things improve in the coming days,’’ he said.
