Online 'haat': Tk 18.33 billion in animals sales in 15 days

The livestock department said 263,216 sacrificial animals were sold online in 15 days till 16 July, in15 days, ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha this year. In total, the animals were sold at Tk 18.33 billion.

Officials at the department said at least 1,768 haats or markets are being operated online amid the coronavirus pandemic. Of the markets, 602 are government-initiated while private agencies are running 1,166 ones. Till Friday, inventories of at least 1,658,612 sacrificial animals were registered for online sales.

Livestock department director (extension) Debashish Das told Prothom Alo that the department launched online animal market last year for the first time. At least 87,000 sacrificial animals were sold online in 2020.

“Although the online sale of sacrificial animals so far is still falling behind our expectations, it is better than that of last year. In future, the online trade of animals will take lion share of the market,” Debashish said.

The fisheries and livestock ministry has proposed an extension of the online market till 20 July, the day before Eid-ul-Azha.

Debashish added, “On condition of following health guidelines, physical marketing of sacrificial animals launched on 15 July. Now the online sales would be reduced. But a continuation of online market would be visited by buyers not interested in physical market.”

On Friday, a single-day inventory of 64,920 animals was registered for sale online. The day saw sales of 25,148 animals worth Tk 1.67 billion (Tk 167.93 crore).

According to livestock department, around 11.9 million sacrificial animals were reared for the Eid-ul-Azha this year.

Fishing and livestock ministry sources said around 9.6 million sacrificial animals were sold last year. They assumed that buyers will not face scarcity of animals this year.