Barely two days to the Eid el-Kabir, ram sellers in Edo State have decried low patronage just as buyers have lamented the high cost of the rams.
Our reporter who visited the Eayan and Aduwawa markets in Benin gathered that a big ram cost between N80,000, N130,000 and N140,000; medium size between N55,000 and N65,000, while a small size cost between N45,000 and N50,000.
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It was also gathered that goats in the market cost between N20,000, N25,000 and N30,000.
One of the sellers at the Eayan Cattle Market, Alhaji Isah Sayasaya, said since he brought ram to the market over a week he managed to sell two.
“There are no buyers; since this morning I haven’t sold any. People are complaining that there is no money. As you can see, the market is empty.
“I came from Kano one week ago with 30 rams, I have only sold two, and we are feeding them every day. A bag of their food costs N6,500,” he said yesterday.
Alhaji Maikudi at the Aduwawa market also said he had only sold one ram since he arrived in Benin six days ago and was praying that things would improve before Sallah day.
Chairman, Eayan Cattle Market, Hassan Haruna, said, “We are just sitting here hoping that people will patronise us. But those that manage to come are complaining of no money and high cost. We can’t sell below the prices we bought because we need profit.”
Among the buyers is Abdullah Jimoh. “I came to the market to buy a ram but it is out of reach. The one I priced now, they told me it is N75,000, that is the type I bought at N50,000 last year.”
