Soaring demand for sheep pushing prices up

Many people have been complaining that the prices of goats and sheep are at least 30 to 40 percent higher this year as compared to Eid Al Adha, the festival of sacrifice, in 2013.

Goats from Sudan were, for example, commanding high prices, normally ranging from QR2,000 to QR2,200, in the livestock market here yesterday.

Smaller goats were, on the other hand, available for between QR700 and QR800 on average.

A Pakistani national said he bought a goat for sacrifice today and prices were generally on a higher side this year.

The demand for goats went up yesterday, also because of the Hindu festival of Dassehra.

Nepalese Hindus celebrate the festival with much fervour and it is customary for many of them to buy goats for feasting. Nepalese are a large community here.

As for sheep, the demand continues to be high for the ones from Syria and Jordan. Both these sheep have been subsidized for Qatari nationals.

Qatar Meat and Livestock Company, popularly known as Widam, have imported some 12,500 sheep to be sold at subsidized rates of QR1,350 (for a Syrian sheep) and QR1,080 for Jordanian.

Their rates in the open market were hovering at QR1,800 (for Syrian sheep) and QR1,400 for the Jordanian on average in the past two to three days.

However, according to market sources, due to the subsidy provided for Qataris, the open market rates for the two kinds of “prime sheep” have been coming down and were hovering at between QR1,200 and QR1,500.

Some Qataris have been complaining that the size of the subsidised sheep is very small so many of them are also buying from the open market. Also available in the market are Iranian sheep for QR1,050 on average.

Meanwhile, the ‘meat hygiene’ unit of Doha Municipality has announced it will be on extra vigil during Eid Al Adha and keeping close track of livestock at the five abattoirs (both manual and automatic) in the city.

Teams of municipal veterinarians are ready to supervise slaughter of livestock from today until Monday, the last day of Eid Al Adha (he festival of sacrifice).

The slaughter houses will begin working right after the Eid prayers early in the morning until 7pm today, while tomorrow and they after they will be open from 5am until 7pm.

The abattoir for camels will be open from after Eid prayers until 3pm today, while tomorrow and the day after its timing will be from 5am until 7pm.

The veterinarians will be checking livestock before slaughter and their meat after slaughter as well to doubly make sure the meat is hygienic and fit for human consumption. Civic inspectors will be on the prowl in open areas as well to make sure everything is alright with the vendors as well and they don’t flout rules.

The fish market is likely to be closed today since demand for seafood is usually quite low on Eid day due to availability of meat in abundance.

However, tomorrow and the day after the fish market will be open in two shifts: from 5am until 10 am and from 3pm until 8pm.

The Central Market for fruits and vegetables will be open today amidst strict monitoring by civic inspectors. The local section (that sells local produce) will be open from 3.30am until 9.30am on all Eid days.

The imported section will, on the other hand, be open from 7.30am until 1.30pm. However, auctions yard will open at 3.30am. The wholesale market will also work from 7.30am until 1.30pm during Eid.

Other municipalities also have their abattoirs and veterinarians ready for Eid. [The Peninsula]