Thousands of goats are dead even before Eid

Cramped conditions, dirty water take a toll, but city will not face shortfall

MUMBAI: All it takes is a visit to the Deonar abbattoir to clear the air about the Rs5.5 crore sacrificial goat. “People can ask for any amount. That doesn’t mean the goat will fetch the price,” says Mohammad Aslam Qureshi, president of All India Sheep & Goat Breeders and Dealer Association (AISGBDA). On Wednesday, reports in the media had claimed that a goat was priced at Rs5.5 crore.

The big challenge for vendors, however, is to ensure their stock survives till Eid. “This year, nearly 25,000 goats died because of cramped conditions and dirty water,” says Irfan Badar Sheikh, a goat-seller. The figure, though, is disputed by AISGBDA authorities who peg the number at 2,500. “Of course, we don’t know how many have died immediately after being sold off,” AISGBDA officials clarify.

The reason behind the loss of livestock is believed to be the extreme conditions the goats come from. Sixty per cent of them come from Rajasthan and UP, where temperatures have plummeted. Many goats are unable to survive the arduous trip.
 
Does that mean a shortfall? “This year, everyone will be able to give Qurbani,” claims Qureshi as 1.8 lakh goats were brought into the city, up from 1.54 lakh in 2006. This surplus has brought down prices drastically.

This year, the association says the most expensive goat went for Rs1.41 lakh, while the next most expensive animal fetched a cool Rs1,03,786.