Dhaka, June 4, 2025 – As the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha approaches, the price of cattle is increasing in the sacrificial animal market. As a result, the concerned people fear that the trend of sacrificing cows may decrease relatively this time. Analyzing the trends of the last few years, it is seen that the price of sacrificial animals is increasing due to high inflation, increase in the price of cow feed and other ancillary costs, which is directly affecting the purchasing power of the common people.
What is the reason for the increase in the price of cattle?
1. Abnormal increase in the price of cow feed: The price of grain feed, hay, husk, etc. used in animal husbandry has increased by more than 50 percent in the last one year. According to farmers, this has increased the cost of production of cattle. It is not possible for them to make a profit by selling cows at a low price, but rather they are facing losses.
2. Increase in transportation and electricity costs: Along with animal feed, transportation costs and electricity prices have also increased. Farmers and traders are having to pay extra for truck fare, especially when bringing cows to the slaughterhouse.
3. Increased production costs: Farmers said that almost the entire amount of money invested to make a cow suitable for slaughter has increased. As a result, the price of cattle per kg (live weight) is also 10-15 percent higher than last year. For example, last year, the price of beef per kg in live weight was 480-500 taka, this year it is being sold for 500-600 taka.
4. Supply crisis (somewhat): Although government data indicates that there is an adequate supply of sacrificial animals in the country (about 12.4 million animals are ready this time), there may be a supply crisis in the market due to the low number of Indian cows coming to the market and the tendency among farmers to hold onto cows in the hope of a good price during Ramadan and slaughter.
5. Traders' syndicate: Sometimes, there are allegations that some unscrupulous traders syndicate and increase the price of cows, which puts additional pressure on consumers.
Declining trend in cow sacrifice:
Due to high prices, many middle-class and lower-middle-class families may not be interested in cow sacrifice this time. Statistics from the last few years also show that the demand for sacrificial animals increases and decreases by 1-2 percent due to inflation. In 2023, 141,000 animals were sacrificed. It is estimated that 11 to 12 million animals may be sacrificed this year. However, those concerned believe that this number may decrease slightly due to the ongoing high inflation.
As an alternative, many families may be interested in sacrificing small animals such as goats or sheep. Some may also increase the tendency to sacrifice jointly, so that the financial pressure is reduced to some extent.
Although there is a possibility of a slight drop in prices at the last minute at the Qurbani market, overall prices are expected to remain higher than last year due to the increase in cow feed and production costs. This has a major impact not only on the religious festival but also on the country's economy.
