As the Muslim festival of Eid-el-Kabir approaches, residents of Kano are grappling with significantly higher prices for rams compared to last year.
A market survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed that despite an influx of rams in various markets within the Kano metropolis, the number of buyers is notably low due to the steep prices.
At the Dan-Agundi livestock market, medium-sized rams are being sold at a minimum of N140,000, while larger ones command prices as high as N300,000. This represents a substantial increase from last year when customers could purchase rams for between N80,000 and N130,000.
Customers like Musa Shanono expressed their dissatisfaction with the current prices but remain hopeful that the prices might decrease before the celebration begins.
Similarly, at the Yan-Awaki market in Unguwa-Uku, customers like Abdulaziz Buba have decided to delay their purchases until after the Eid prayers, anticipating a potential price drop.
Ram sellers have attributed the price hike to various factors, including the increased cost of breeding livestock, transportation, insecurity, and the overall economic challenges in the country.
Jibril Shehu, a ram seller at Dawanau market, explained that the rise in prices is not a deliberate strategy but a reflection of the overall high cost of goods in the market.
Bala Muhammad, another dealer at Yan-Awaki market, pointed out that the recent removal of fuel subsidies has significantly increased the cost of transporting the animals, which in turn affects the final selling price.
He also mentioned the additional costs involved in tending to the rams, including feeding and vaccination.
Temporary ram markets have also emerged on major streets of Kano in response to the increased demand during the festive season.
Despite these challenges, sellers like Sabo Aminu from Ring Road noted that the prices have nearly doubled from last year, with a ram that was sold for N80,000 now costing N150,000.
The situation highlights the economic pressures faced by both sellers and buyers in the lead-up to Eid-el-Kabir, with hopes that market dynamics might ease the financial burden before the festivities commence.
