Consumers who make purchase beef at the central Abattoir, Itam Uyo Akwa Ibom State Nigeria have expressed dismay over the high cost of cattle in the market…
The consumers were, Mr. Essien Ette, victor Philip, and Effiong Edem, who spoke when starwitness news reporter visited the market, said they were at the market to buy cows for their upcoming social events and were surprised that the prices of cattle have skyrocketed out of the reach of the common man.
The people attributed the hike in prices of cows, as deliberate by the sellers to maximize profits, as a result of the high number of festivities usually witnessed in this time of the year.
starwitness understands that the prices of cows range between N250,000 and N500,000 as against N90,000 to N250,000 previously sold.
Commenting on the allegations that the hike in the prices of cows is deliberate the leader of the Hausa community in the state, Alhaji Hassan Saudauki , whose people are the major players in the cattle business, debunked such allegations.
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According to Saudauki, sellers do not deliberately increase the prices of items, unless necessitated by some uncontrolled factors.
He said only a few cows are now brought into the state, as a result of the lack of where to keep them in view of the state government’s ban on open grazing of cattle in the state.
According to the Hausa leader, they do not want to run afoul of the law of the state.
