Nagpur: Sluggish mood prevails in Bakra Mandi (goat market) in Mominpura ahead of Bakrid as Covid-19 has hit sale of goats hard as demand has got reduced to 3000-4000 as against 9000 during the festival. Loss of income, Covid-hit families and local restrictions have contributed to listless business in the goat market as the sale has declined by 60-70 percent this season.
A farmer from Madhya Pradesh, who has been camping at Mominpura’s Bakramandi for the last few days hoping to fetch a good price for his pedigree goat. He quoted Rs 55,000 for his Beetal goat weighing over 90 kg. Another farmer from Hingna Tehsil is ready to sell off his local breed goat weighing 50 kg even for Rs 25,000. Despite lowering the asking price, both failed to attract buyers at the traditional Bakramandi, which comes up near the now-defunct Municipal slaughter house ahead of Eid-ul-Adha every year.
A stroll on Monday evening found Mominpura markets open with goat sellers and limited buyers moving around despite NMC’s 4 pm deadline for non-emergency outdoor activities.
A local resident said that in 2019, he sold 350 goats at least a week before Eid. This time, he has brought just 50% livestock and still 45% of them are unsold. A Kalamna-based trader lamented that Covid has hit the goat sale hard. The sale has declined drastically. During Bakrid, the demand increased but for the last two years, the demand has been very sluggish. In 2019, 8000-10,000 goats were sold from Bakra Mandi during Eid. But Eid of 2020 passed under Covid shadow and the same situation prevails in 2021 as well, he moaned.
