Collected
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced people to exercise social distancing, which makes the notion of visiting cattle markets difficult, where huge crowds usually gather
The rise of online marketplaces to sell sacrificial animals can help reduce consumers’ dependence on physically visiting cattle markets ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced people to exercise social distancing, which makes the notion of visiting cattle markets difficult, where huge crowds usually gather.
Health experts have also urged people not to visit cattle markets to prevent getting infected with the coronavirus.
As cattle farmers across the country anticipate huge losses due to low sales of sacrificial animals amid the pandemic, online marketplaces can alleviate those worries and offer a new platform for buyers and sellers.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), in association with the ICT Division and the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (eCAB), has launched a digital market for the purchase and sale of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid.
Taking note of the development, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is also contemplating launching a digital platform for cattle buyers and sellers under its jurisdiction.
Dairy farmers, both wholesale and retail, have already taken to social media networks such as Facebook to sell their sacrificial animals.
Both city corporations have decided to allow only 10 makeshift cattle markets in Dhaka city ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
The markets will be set up in open areas of the city corporations in order to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.
Earlier, the DSCC had floated tenders for 18 cattle markets but suspended 13 of them after considering the Covid-19 situation. They have now settled on five makeshift cattle markets in less densely populated areas.
Soon after cattle sales went online, buyers began to choose their sacrificial animals digitally.
This correspondent talked to several cattle traders, farmers and buyers, all of whom were receptive to the new idea amid Covid-19.
Ahmed Uddin, from Rampura, bought a bull from an online marketplace.
“It is a good initiative to open a digital market during this pandemic. I bought a bull weighing 130-140kg for Tk80,000.”
Khalid Walid, a seller from Nilphamari, posted an advertisement for his cow in a group on Facebook, titled "Gorur Haat", which had 180,000 followers.
There he posted his intention to sell his cow, which weighed around 250kg, for Tk1.2 lakh. Interested bidders negotiated up to Tk85,000.
Mir Kashem, a dairy farmer and president of Faridpur Dairy Farmers Association, told Dhaka Tribune that no one wanted to go to the cattle market physically and risk getting infected with Covid-19.
“Although prices are low this year, more farmers are selling their animals online than before with the support of the upazila administration,” Kashem said.
Digital platforms
In a joint venture, DNCC, the ICT Division, E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (eCAB) and Bangladesh Dairy Farm Association launched Digitalhaat.net, an online platform for buying and selling sacrificial animals, on July 11.
Other online platforms selling sacrificial animals include Daraz, AjkerDeal, PriyoShop, Sobjibazaar, Goruhaat and more.
Shayantani Twisha, head of PR, media and communication at Daraz, said selling sacrificial animals through their website had increased more than three times than last year.
“We started selling sacrificial animals a week ago. Initially, most of the buyers reserve their choices in the shopping cart. Later they select from the shortlist, book and buy after paying the money,” she added.
Farmers from different regions said buyers preferred to buy cattle at reasonable prices this year, ranging from Tk50,000 to Tk1 lakh at most.
But they also said most marginalized farmers remained outside the scope of digital sales as they had no idea about it.
There are issues of transportation and carrying costs that hamper selling and buying sacrificial animals online, said Sadman Alif Mim Raihan, president of Joypurhat Dairy Farmers Association.
These marginalized farmers and upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) will work together in markets outside the capital to sell the sacrificial animals, said Shah Imran, president of Bangladesh Dairy Farmers Association (BDFA.)
The Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Md Tajul Islam, said the digital cattle market had added a new dimension in the purchase of sacrificial animals.
He warned buyers about fraudulent sellers who might con them into taking their money but not sending them the actual cattle, or any cattle at all.
