Muslim people face difficulty in celebrating Eid because of cattle price increase

Cyclone Mocha killed a large number of cattle in Rakhine State and hence the price of cattle has gone up in recent days. Now the Muslim people have found it difficult to celebrate their religious festival Eid on Thursday, said the residents.

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

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

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

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

In Chin Taung village under Mrauk U township last year, the entire village celebrated Eid, but this time only 25 percent villagers will be able to perform Qurbani, stated a villager.

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

He also added that a cow that used to cost about Kyats 12,00,000 last year, this time it’s sold for Kyats 20,00,000.

"Last year, about 100 cows were sacrificed in the village during the festival. This time, they will not be able to do the same as they have already faced a huge loss in the cyclonic storm,” he explained.

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