Cattle markets across Bangladesh regained momentum on Tuesday afternoon after a spell of morning rain, as buyers rushed to complete their Eid-ul-Azha shopping despite rising prices and muddy conditions.
Traders in Dhaka said the rain temporarily slowed trading in the morning, but crowds began increasing steadily as the day progressed.
Even with wet and muddy conditions in many markets, sellers were unwilling to lower prices significantly.
A visit to several cattle markets in the capital showed that nearly 70 per cent of the animals on sale were medium-sized cattle, while around 25 per cent were small-sized cows.
Both buyers and sellers of large cattle appeared noticeably fewer compared to previous years.
At Hazaribagh cattle market, trader Selim Ahmed, who brought 12 cattle from Pabna on Saturday, said six had already been sold by the afternoon.
“I hope four more will be sold tonight, and the remaining ones by tomorrow,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh.
Buyers, however, complained that cattle prices are higher this year compared to last year.
Rampura resident Atik visited several markets before arriving at Kamalapur cattle market but said he was struggling to find a suitable cow within his budget.
“Last year, I bought a cow of a similar size for Tk150,000. This year, sellers are demanding nearly Tk180,000 for comparable cattle,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh.
Sellers blamed rising transportation costs, higher feed and medicine expenses, and increased purchase prices from local farmers for the higher market rates.
Saiful Miya, who came from Natore with nine home-raised cattle along with two neighbouring farmers, said production costs have increased sharply this year.
“Feed expenses alone have increased by around 20 to 30 per cent. At the same time, our overall living costs have also gone up,” he said.
“If we cannot make even a small profit after covering all these expenses, then all the hard work becomes meaningless.”
He added that many buyers are still expecting last year’s prices despite the increased costs faced by farmers.
The morning rain left many cattle markets muddy and difficult to navigate, but the number of buyers continued to rise throughout the afternoon as Eid draws closer.
Aqib Ahmed, who came to Hazaribagh market to buy sacrificial cattle, said delaying the purchase was no longer an option.
“There is only one day left. Whether prices fall or not, I have to return home with a cow today,” he said.
Market insiders said medium-sized cattle remain the most in-demand category this year, with most buyers entering markets with budgets ranging from Tk130,000 to Tk160,000.
Meanwhile, cattle priced below Tk100,000 are also seeing strong sales nationwide, particularly in district markets where buyers are increasingly opting for smaller animals due to financial pressure.
According to traders, small cattle that sold for around Tk35,000 based on meat yield estimates last year are now being priced at nearly Tk40,000. Medium-sized cattle that were previously sold at around Tk30,000 to Tk32,000 are now being traded for more than Tk35,000.
At the capital’s Gabtoli cattle market, trader Harun said the market for large cattle has been disappointing.
“Last year I had to take three unsold cattle back home. This year I invested even more and brought five cattle, hoping demand would improve,” he said.
He said many buyers lacked the financial capacity to purchase large cattle.
He added that raising large cattle involves significantly higher care and costs, and that sacrificial animals should not be evaluated only by meat weight or price per kilogram.
Harun said he still hopes to sell all his cattle before returning home, though he plans to wait until the final trading day before reducing prices.
Outside Dhaka, similar market trends have emerged across major cities and district markets.
In Chattogram, buyers are mainly purchasing cattle priced between Tk120,000 and Tk150,000, while in Khulna’s Joragate market, demand is strongest for small cattle worth Tk30,000 to Tk50,000.
Buyers seeking medium-sized cattle are mostly targeting animals priced around Tk100,000.
Traders in Rajshahi and Rangpur also reported stronger demand for small and medium-sized cattle.
In Barishal, continuous rainfall has disrupted market activities, with traders saying muddy conditions are discouraging buyers from visiting cattle markets.
Meanwhile, sellers at Bishwanath cattle market in Sylhet said the supply of cattle has exceeded demand this year, forcing many traders to accept smaller profit margins to secure sales.\
According to the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), the country remains well supplied ahead of Eid. Demand is estimated at 1.01 crore animals against a supply of 1.23 crore, leaving a surplus of around 22 lakh animals.
