LAHORE:
Traders and buyers at Lahore’s livestock markets have complained of price gouging and tight restrictions in the run-up to Eidul Azha.
Traders at the Shahpur Kanjran cattle market, the largest permanent livestock trading hub in Punjab, alleged that animal entry, fodder and space allotment charges were being levied above the officially approved rates, thereby increasing the financial burden on sellers and ultimately pushing up the prices of sacrificial animals for buyers.
The complaints come as the Punjab government steps up preparations for Eidul Azha, deploying municipal authorities and Suthra Punjab officials across the province to regulate livestock markets, ensure sanitation and crack down on illegal roadside vending outlets.
According to traders, the official entry fee is set at Rs200 for goats and Rs500 for large animals. However, several livestock sellers claimed they were being charged up to Rs 1,000 for large animals, while separate amounts were allegedly collected for fodder, straw and wheat.
Traders claimed that smaller feeders and spaces inside the market were allotted for nearly Rs 100,000 instead of the officially prescribed Rs 60,000, while larger enclosures were allegedly rented for Rs 250,000 to Rs 300,000.
“Animals were already expensive this year, but these additional charges have pushed the prices even higher,” said a trader from south Punjab.
Livestock sellers from various districts alleged that despite the Punjab government’s announcement regarding free entry to cattle markets, excessive fees were allegedly being levied at several markets in the province, apparently with the connivance of businessmen and some officials.
The controversy has emerged at a time when livestock markets in Lahore are witnessing a slowdown in trade despite a large supply of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid.
According to authorities, Shahpur Kanjran alone has the capacity to house 15,000 large and 45,000 small animals.
Besides, the Punjab government has established five temporary livestock trading points at Saggian, Wagah Sports Complex, Barki Road, LDA City and Raiwind.
The temporary sales points can accommodate around 150,000 animals.
Despite the availability of animals, traders say the buyer participation rate remains lower than expected. “For the past week, most visitors have only been window shopping,” says a goat seller at the Saggian outlet. “People are bargaining heavily, but actual purchases are still slow.”
Some buyers, meanwhile, complained that livestock prices were almost 25 percent higher than last year.
“I have visited the market twice, but the prices are unaffordable,” said Muhammad Ilyas, a visitor to the Saggian outlet. He urged the government to regulate prices.
However, the Punjab Livestock Market Management and Development Corporation (PCMMDC) rejected the allegations of overcharging and said the contractors were being charged as per the approved fee schedule. The company added that public announcements were regularly made at markets to inform traders and visitors of official prices.
At the same time, municipal authorities have stepped up action against roadside animal sales and against citizens who keep sacrificial animals outside their homes.
Officials of the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC), municipal corporations and district administrations have issued warnings and arrests to livestock traders operating outside designated outlets.
