Cyclone Mocha killed alarge number of cattle in Rakhine State and hence the price of cattle has goneup in recent days. Now the Muslim people have found it difficult to celebratetheir religious festival Eid on Thursday, said the residents.

Muslim families in Myanmar as well as in Rakhine State arepreparing to celebrate the sacred Islamic festival on 29 June. Eid al-Adha iscelebrated by Muslims across the world.

Due to crisis in thecattle market, the Muslims have to buy the cattle with higher prices for theQurbani ritual.

Ko Aung Naing Soe, aresident of Nyaung Ping Gyi Muslim village under Rathedaung township,said, "We have to buy the cattle forQurbani with too high prices. Most of the cattle in our village  died inthe storm. So we are getting the animals from other villages at such highprices.”

He added that thecattle, which used to cost around Kyats 5,00,000 each, are now being sold witharound Kyats 10,00,000. Nearly 60 cows died in Nyaung Ping Gyi village duringthe storm.

In Chin Taung village underMrauk U township last year, the entire villagecelebrated Eid, but this time only 25 percent villagers will be able to performQurbani, stated a villager.

A buffalo used to costKyats 1400,000 last year during the festival and this time the price hasincreased up to Kyats 2100,000.

He also added that a cow that used to cost about Kyats12,00,000 last year, this time it’s sold for Kyats 20,00,000.

"Last year, about100 cows were sacrificed in the village during the festival. This time, theywill not be able to do the same as they have already faced a huge loss in thecyclonic storm,” he explained.

The Humanitarian and Development Cooperation Office (HDCO) recently releaseda list of the deaths of 9,981 cattle in across the Rakhine region due to thepowerful cyclonic storm that hit the State on 14 May last.