Goat traders have described this Easter as one of the hardest as sales are down despite abundant supply at the market.
They say there has only been a trickle of buyers for goats, quite unusual during Easter weekend, suggesting liquidity had run to historical low.
The retail traders have it that despite of good supply of goats that helped to stabilize the prices, buyers were nowhere to be seen.
A spot check by ‘Daily News’ at Vingunguti cattle market revealed that some traders hardly managed to sell a goat unlike the previous Good Friday of between 10 and 15 goats.
Mr Amir Hamis, a goat trader at Vingunguti, complained that business was tough as sales were low indicating people had no money. “Since morning I hardly sold a goat.
Last year at these hours (around 10:00am) I had sold between ten and fifteen goats,” Mr Hamis, who is in this business for the ten years,” said. “The purchasing power is very low and is affecting our businesses.
This was a period of harvesting, but not this year.” Another trader, Mr Yasin Muhunzi, said the prices were normal but there were no buyers as apart from regular customers from hotels and restaurants.
“It seems there is no money. Only few have it. Majority have no money,” Mr Muhunzi said. The prices at Vingunguti ranged between 65,000/- a low grade goat and 150,000/- for those on high grade.
According to the traders, the price had not changed for almost a month now which is quite unusual during Easter season.
They say there has only been a trickle of buyers for goats, quite unusual during Easter weekend, suggesting liquidity had run to historical low.
The retail traders have it that despite of good supply of goats that helped to stabilize the prices, buyers were nowhere to be seen.
A spot check by ‘Daily News’ at Vingunguti cattle market revealed that some traders hardly managed to sell a goat unlike the previous Good Friday of between 10 and 15 goats.
Mr Amir Hamis, a goat trader at Vingunguti, complained that business was tough as sales were low indicating people had no money. “Since morning I hardly sold a goat.
Last year at these hours (around 10:00am) I had sold between ten and fifteen goats,” Mr Hamis, who is in this business for the ten years,” said. “The purchasing power is very low and is affecting our businesses.
This was a period of harvesting, but not this year.” Another trader, Mr Yasin Muhunzi, said the prices were normal but there were no buyers as apart from regular customers from hotels and restaurants.
“It seems there is no money. Only few have it. Majority have no money,” Mr Muhunzi said. The prices at Vingunguti ranged between 65,000/- a low grade goat and 150,000/- for those on high grade.
According to the traders, the price had not changed for almost a month now which is quite unusual during Easter season.
Goat traders at Pugu market said in Good Friday they normally experience buyers’ low turnover but demand picks on Saturday. However, the trend this year showed difference from last year.
Mr William Mwalyema said the market was yet to pick up and they anticipated a small level of surge on Saturday. “In the whole of God Friday I managed to sell six goats… we are many traders here but the number is not that good,” Mr Mwalyema said. The Pugu goat prices are similar to that of Vingunguti.
The stagnation of prices indicated that business was not good as demand could have driven prices up. On the supply side of the goats, Mr Mwalyema said, the trend was good as the market had received a satisfactory number of goats ahead of long Easter holiday.
Mr Mwalyema said the prices went down in the last two months because keepers are forecasting a poor rain season ahead which will affect their animals.
Source: Daily News, reported from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Mr William Mwalyema said the market was yet to pick up and they anticipated a small level of surge on Saturday. “In the whole of God Friday I managed to sell six goats… we are many traders here but the number is not that good,” Mr Mwalyema said. The Pugu goat prices are similar to that of Vingunguti.
The stagnation of prices indicated that business was not good as demand could have driven prices up. On the supply side of the goats, Mr Mwalyema said, the trend was good as the market had received a satisfactory number of goats ahead of long Easter holiday.
Mr Mwalyema said the prices went down in the last two months because keepers are forecasting a poor rain season ahead which will affect their animals.
Source: Daily News, reported from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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