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Pahalgam fallout: Kashmir's demand for goats from Amritsar market falls
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Amritsar: The April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam has also delivered a serious blow to the Amritsar 'Bakar Mandi' (goat market), a key supplier of livestock to Kashmir during Bakr Eid (Eid-ul-Zuha).
In the wake of the attack, tourists largely stayed away from Kashmir, which dried up the income for local businesses and households. With the region struggling economically, fewer people are purchasing animals for the traditional Eid sacrifice, said Kuldeep, an animal dealer from Nangla village of Fatehabad district of Haryana, on Thursday.
He said due to these reasons, the demand from Jammu and Kashmir, which typically drove sales in Amritsar during this season, had fallen, leaving traders with unsold livestock, slashed prices, and little hope of recovery ahead of the festival.
Every year, in the weeks leading up to Eid, the Bakar Mandi begins to hum with activity, catering to a robust demand. "This demand, coming from local residents as well as restaurants, hotels, and private buyers during the tourist season in the Valley, has long made the Amritsar livestock market an important part of the region's economy," observed Amanpreet Singh, a local commission agent in the Bakar Mandi.
He added the story was in sharp contrast to past years this time.
"The festive buzz is missing. Fewer buyers are coming from Kashmir valley, and those who do are looking to bargain hard. With the drop in tourism in Kashmir, income has dried up, and many families are simply opting out of making animal sacrifices this year," he said.
He added some wholesalers from Rajasthan had started bypassing Amritsar altogether, taking their stock directly to Jammu and Kashmir in the hope of increasing sales.
"But, with the market there also paralysed, the gamble has largely backfired, resulting in further losses and shaking the foundation of a supply chain that existed for decades," he said, adding that traders were selling live animals for around Rs 400 to Rs 450 per kg in the Valley.
In the Amritsar market, it is being sold for Rs 600 to Rs 650 per kg, he said.
Anees Khan, a trader from Rajasthan, said earlier, the market used to pick up momentum at least 15-20 days before Eid.
Livestock would arrive from Rajasthan, and within days, most of it would be sold off largely to Kashmir-based buyers. Amritsar, located strategically between Rajasthan and Kashmir, has long served as a transit point for the livestock trade, he said.
A he majority of animals being sold in Bakar Mandi for sacrifice this year are sheep, as goat prices have gone very high. "A goat is not available for anything less than Rs 30,000. Few people are coming to buy goats. Today, I sold one for ₹50,000, but most of the demand is for sheep," said Khan. MSID:: 121648414 413 |
