Karnataka sees demand for goats higher than sheep this Bakrid

BENGALURU: The price of sacrificial livestock has gone up ahead of the Eid al-Adha (Bakrid) festival, which will be celebrated on June 17. However, shepherds lamented over the decline in the demand for sheep and oxen this year, compared to the goats.

Shakib, a farmer who has been selling sheep in RT Nagar for the last 15 years told TNIE that he and his family would travel from Bagalkot to the same spot every year during Bakrid. “Last year, we sold more than 150 sheep. Expecting similar demand this year, we transported 200 sheep from Bagalkot via a hired lorry. However, sales have been limited to just 40 sheep so far. We could not even recoup the transportation costs,” he added.

Shopkeepers also mentioned that goat sales are high, as customers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu prefer goats and oxen over sheep. “Last year, we had several customers from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala requesting for oxen. We made arrangements accordingly this year as well. However, this year the demand for oxen has also come down.”

Farmers and shepherds also mentioned that due to their limited availability, the price of goats weighing between 18-19 kg has risen sharply from Rs 12,000 last year to over Rs 20,000 this year. In contrast, sheep prices have remained relatively stable, ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000, similar to the last year’s price.

Zakhir, another seller mentioned that, there is a preference for sheep over goats in Bengaluru, therefore the city has limited goat sellers. He also mentioned that many people are pooling in money to buy a goat or sheep along with their neighbours and relatives to share the cost. This is affecting the sales and profits as well, he added.