Barely five days to the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, prices of rams have risen by about 40 per cent in Kano.
A market survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Tarauni, Ungogo and Kumbotso local government areas showed that a ram which used to cost N25,000 was now being sold at between N35,000 and N40, 000 .
A ram seller at Naibawa cattle market in Tarauni Local Government Area, Malam Labaran Idi, attributed the increase to the high cost of transportation.
He said vehicle owners now charged more for transporting rams because of increase in the prices of fuel and diesel.
Idi said the transporters claimed that they were buying petrol and diesel at high prices.
He also said ram sellers were spending more on feeds for the rams, adding “we have increased prices to enable us recover our money and make profit,” he said.
Similarly, the survey at another ram market in Kumbotso also indicated an increase of prices of between 20 and 25 per cent.
The Chairman of the market, Sani Ali , said a big ram, which cost about N65, 000 few weeks ago, now attracts between N85, 000 and N90, 000.
Ali said the price of medium size ram rose from about N45, 000 to N60, 000, while small rams that sold for between N18, 000 and N20,000, now cost N25, 000.
Another ram seller at Dawanau cattle market in Ungogo Local Government Area, Abdullahi Tumfafi, blamed the hike on the security challenges in some parts of the North-East and the increase in the cost of transportation.
He said that the charges for transporting the animals from Adamawa and Niger Republic to Kano in a trailer had tremendously increased.
Some of the customers interviewed said the prices were too high compared to last year.
NAN reports that following the rising cost of the animals especially rams, some people now prepared to contribute money to buy cow and share among themselves.
A customer, Bashir Abdullahi, who was met bargaining over the price of a medium-sized ram at Yan-Awaki market in Na’ibawa, lamented over the high price.
He, however, expressed hope that the prices would crash before the commencement of the celebration.
