Activity continues at the sacrificial animal markets in Ankara

With the approaching days of Eid al-Adha in Ankara, there has been an increase in activity at animal markets. Small livestock are being sold for an average price ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 Turkish liras, while large livestock are being sold in the range of 90,000 to 300,000 Turkish liras at the market. In Sincan district of Ankara, at the Cimsit animal market where there is a crowd of people, citizens are negotiating with breeders to purchase sacrificial animals. The prices for small livestock range from 10,000 to 25,000 Turkish liras, and for large livestock from 90,000 to 300,000 Turkish liras. Beside coming from Ağrı to Ankara, Zafer Bora, a breeder, stated to an IHA reporter, “We have 100 animals. We have 20 heifers and 80 calves. About 70 of them have been sold. We sold the cheapest one for 90,000 Turkish liras. The most expensive one, around 900 kilograms, was sold for 210,000 Turkish liras.” Bora emphasized that this is the busiest market in Ankara and mentioned that the prices are normal. He highlighted that compared to the previous year, prices have slightly decreased due to diseases last year, but this year there are no diseases. Bora added, “About 10 days before, we were selling them for around 260 to 270 Turkish liras at the farms before bringing them here. Now, an animal weighing 800 kilograms costs around 250,000. Time is running out, they need to buy now.” Another breeder, Ömer Güler, who came from Tokat to Ankara, expressed, “We brought the animals from Tokat’s Dumanlı plateau. The meat of our animals is a remedy for every trouble. We came from Tokat, and for 6 months our animals were in the barn at an altitude of two thousand meters. We feed them for 6 months. We do this job with love.” Güler also highlighted the points that citizens who will buy sacrificial animals need to pay attention to, stating, “The animal must have a passport. It must be at least 2 years old. It should have two incisors showing in its mouth.” Güler mentioned that he brought 23 sacrificial animals to Ankara and sold 8 of them within two days, with 15 left to sell by the end of the week. He concluded by saying, “Those who come in time buy. This year there won’t be any animals left.” One of the citizens looking to buy sacrificial animals, Durmuş Çakır, expressed, “We came to buy sacrificial animals, if it is meant to be. The animal I buy must be from the east. I don’t want to buy animals from other regions. I am satisfied with animals from the east. I am visiting tents to buy animals from the east.”