The sale of sacrificial animals in the city's 21 cattle markets and elsewhere increased from Friday afternoon as traders and farmers reduced the price to some extent expecting a rise in buyers.
Although sales rose to some extent, the traders were still waiting for the momentum to gain, till the filing of this report.
"I sold out four oxen by Friday afternoon out of 23 animals, while only one was retailed over the past three days", Mohammad Jakaria, a cattle trader at Bochhila Temporary Cattle Market in the city, said.
He said a small crowd forced cattle sellers and traders to cut prices notably.
Jakaria said most of the traders could hardly make 10 per cent profit.
Humyaun Kabir, a garment buying house official bought a cow weighing 160 kgs at Tk 110,000.
He said though the price decreased to some extent, but it is still much higher than that of a year ago.
Farid Hosaain, a cattle farmer from Pangsha in Rajbari brought 18 oxen and three cows to Gabtoli.
He said most of his oxen weigh 200-220 kgs.
My minimum expenditure for each animal is Tk 150,000, but customers are offering below the investment.
I could sell only two cows and two oxen on Friday at a minimal profit.
Manager of Gabtoli Cattle Market Abdul Hashem said sales increased to some extent from Friday afternoon.
We are expecting trading to increase notably on Saturday morning, he said.
However, Md Mursalin, a management committee member at Jigatola Cattle Haat said total sale might decreased this year amid the tough economic condition of middle and low middle income people.
"The sale might not reach to the level of previous years", he said.
Cattle sale officially began on Wednesday in the city's 19 makeshift markets leased-out by the two city corporations this year.
Apart from the makeshift markets, sales began at two permanent markets including Gabtoli and Sharulia in Demra earlier.
Farmers said cattle rearing costs have increased by 40-50 per cent this year amid a surge in prices of readymade feed, straw, oil cake, wheat bran, other ingredients and transportation costs.
According to the department of livestock service (DLS), it has a target for the trading of 9.7 million cattle across the country this Eid going to be held on July 10.
DLS said the availability of cattle for this Eid is above 12.1 million.
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