Karachi cattle market generates Rs8bn revenue

• Sale of animals as low as Rs50,000 and over Rs10 million.
• Business generated from animal, fodder sellers, others.
• PTA pegs value of animals sacrificed on Eid at Rs376 billion.

KARACHI: The administration of the maweshi mandi (main sacrificial cattle market) organised on the Karachi Northern Bypass has claimed to have generated business activity worth Rs8 billion during this year’s Eid ul Adha season, The News reported Sunday.

The cattle market, which was previously set up in the Sohrab Goth area of the port city, was shifted to the Northern Bypass this time and established in District West under the Malir Cantonment Board.

The market’s spokesperson, Yawar Chawla, in a press statement issued on Wednesday, said that "everyone" had got an animal they were looking for. 

On the eve of Eid ul Adha, he said, the market had been almost emptied as its animals were sold.

Chawla said this year, the market did record business in its new location, adding that around 700,000 sacrificial animals were brought to the market, of which 600,000 animals had been sold by Wednesday. 

This was a record-breaking figure, he said.

Furthermore, he added that the market saw the sale of more than Rs10 million animals and as low as Rs50,000. 

He said that huge business activity was generated in the market, from which the animal sellers, animal fodder sellers, tea kiosk owners, water suppliers and many more businesses made money.

The market’s spokesperson appreciated the support of political, religious and social leaders and appreciated the support of television and stage artists who visited the sacrificial animal market.

Moreover, the Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) has said that 6,360,000 animals were sacrificed on Eid ul Adha this year.

The association said there has been a 28% to 30% reduction in the number of animals sacrificed in the country this year.

It further expressed fears that 35% of the animal skins collected might spoil due to heat and loadshedding.

The association, however, pegged the value of animals sacrificed on Eid at Rs376 billion.