Prices of cattle at Dar es Salaam’s Pugu Market dropped in March – fuelled by a 10.6 per cent increase in supply as livestock keepers sold much of their stocks in fear of fodder scarcity due to unpredictable rains.Dar es Salaam’s Pugu Market receives most of its cattle from the Lake and Central zones.
Contrary to general expectations, the two zones did not receive much rain in early March – the month when the long rainy season starts – prompting pressure among livestock keepers.
“They then decided to sell much of their livestock so they do not get affected in case drought continued,” said an economist with the ministry of Industry and Trade, Mr John Chassama.
An average of 581 cattle were sold every day at the market in March – up from an average of 525 sold each day in February.
The price of a mature male cow grade two dropped by an average of 14.9 per cent from Sh859,000 in February to Sh731,000 in March while that of a mature male cow grade three decreased by an average of 9.2 per cent to reach Sh449,000 in March from an average of Sh494,500 in February.
One had to pay one per cent less to buy a mature female cow grade two as the price stood at an average of Sh664,250 in March as compared to Sh671,000 in February.
On the contrary, the price of a mature female cow grade three gained by 5.7 per cent to reach Sh434,000 in March from an average of Sh410,500 in February, according to data from the ministry of Industry and Trade.
On the other hand, prices of goats were mostly up in March on account of a 7.6 per cent drop in supply. An average of 193 goats were sold – each day - at Pugu in March as opposed to some 209 goats in February. People, yearning for mature male goats grade two had to dig deeper into their pockets in March as prices went up by a massive 57.8 per cent to reach an average of Sh151,500 from Sh96,000 in February.
Similarly, the price for a mature female goat grade three rose by 27.4 per cent to reach an average of Sh66,250 in March from Sh52,000 in February.
As for sheep, prices went up by up to 10 per cent between March and February despite a 7.1 per cent improvement in supply.
As for sheep, prices went up by up to 10 per cent between March and February despite a 7.1 per cent improvement in supply.
Source: The Citizen, reported by Tumsifu Sanga,from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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