NAGPUR: Rommy Humayun, a farmer from Damoh in Madhya Pradesh, has been camping at Mominpura’s makeshift bakramandi for the last few days, hoping to fetch a good price for his pedigree goat. He quotes Rs 55,000 for his Beetal male weighing over 90kg.
K Parimal, a farmer from Hingna tehsil, is ready to sell off his local breed goat weighing over 50kg for even Rs25,000. Despite lowering the asking price, both fail to attract buyers at the traditional bakramandi, which comes up near the now-defunct municipal slaughter house ahead of Eid-ul-Adha every year.
Loss of income, Covid-hit families and local restrictions have contributed to the sluggish mood during the festival. Usually, sellers would see brisk business and fetch good prices in the run up to Eid, which falls on Wednesday this time.
On Monday at around 5pm, Mominpura markets were open with goat sellers and limited buyers moving around despite Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s 4pm deadline for all non-emergency outdoor activities.
“I would be happy if I get Rs45,000. I would have asked for Rs70,000 if things were good,” said Humayun, who travelled over 300km to reach the city. Parimal has been an annual seller at Mominpura. “I may have to return today. I will incur double the transport cost,” he said
Over the years, the occasion has offered business opportunity for local residents as the area attracts buyers from many places.
Mohd Iqbal, a resident of Boriapura, frets over the loss of some goats to disease due to rains, and rest of them not selling at desired rates. “In 2019, I sold 350 goats at least a week before Eid. This time, I have brought just 50% livestock and still 45 of them are unsold,” he said.
Iqbal would earn around Rs1 lakh from the annual sale. For his remaining animals, he is depending on commission agents. “I am selling for a profit ranging from Rs500 to Rs2,500. In case an agent gets me a customer, I have to part with Rs500 as commission,” he said.
Iqbal added that because of poor prospects here, many merchants have preferred Raipur and Hyderabad in search of higher rates.
Mohammad Shariq, a resident of Mominpura, said the haggling and negotiations go on till 11pm in the open space at the erstwhile slaughter house. “The cops come a couple of times in the day and ask them to leave. Kalmana APMC has a better facility for merchants and animals, but it has been kept shut due to restrictions. There is no place so goats get drenched and become prone to diseases. These fears are on the mind of sellers, which makes them give away goats at lower prices,” he said.
