High feed cost moves up prices of livestock for Eid al-Adha in the West Bank

Record ID: 1627505

  • Title: High feed cost moves up prices of livestock for Eid al-Adha in the West Bank
  • Date: 19th July 2021
  • Summary: JERICHO, WEST BANK (JULY 14, 2021) (REUTERS) GOAT EATING STRAW SHEEP GATHERED AROUND TROUGH EATING VARIOUS OF SULIMAN AL-ZAID, SHEPHERD, SITTING WHILE SHEEP SEARCHING FOR FOOD LIVESTOCK HEADING TO EATING POINT VARIOUS OF SHEEP AND GOAT EATING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SULIMAN AL-ZAID, SHEPHERD, 69, SAYING: "The (price) increase of sacrifice is due to a few reasons. Firstly, and most importantly is the (price) increase of fodder. Right now, a ton of barley is around 1,500 shekels, which is around 300 Jordanian dinars. The fodder, the mixture that is for livestock, is over 2,000 shekels for a ton. This is the reason for the (price) increase of sacrifice." VARIOUS OF LIVESTOCK DRINKING WATER VARIOUS OF SHEEP AT THE FARM VARIOUS OF WORKERS AT A FACTORY, FILLING THE BAGS WITH LIVESTOCK FOOD WORKERS CARRYING BAGS OF FOOD INSIDE COWS FARM WORKER PUTTING FOOD ON COWS COWS EATING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IMAD RADWAN, TRADER WHO SELLS LIVESTOCK FEED, 36, SAYING: "The highest percentage of sheep are in the West, but the nature of the price of the fodder and the barley and the wheat. A while ago when I had a fodder factory, I would distribute a ton of fodder for 800-900 Shekels, a ton of Barley for 500-600. This was before about 8 years. Today, we distribute a ton of barley for 1,400-1,500 (shekels), and a ton of fodder for sheep costs 2,000-2,200 shekels." VARIOUS OF NAZEH AAMER, INSIDE HIS BUTCHERY CUTTING MEAT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NAZEH AAMER, 65, MEAT SHOP OWNER, SAYING: "Till now, we didn't sell a single one (sheep). Firstly, it's expensive, secondly, the people don't have the money. Where they buy them (the livestock) is expensive. The people who used to have 200 sheep, now only have 100 because they are not able to feed them all. People started selling their livestock. The fodder is about 2000 (Shekels), people aren't able to feed (their livestock)." AL-ZAID WITH LIVESTOCK VARIOUS OF SHEEP EATING FROM THE FIELD WHILE SHEPHERD MONITORING SHEEP EATING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IBRAHIM ISHTITAT, CITIZEN, 60, SAYING: "People are trying to go round so they can offer a sacrifice and an offering to God Almighty, but the economic conditions and the high cost of sheep meant that people could not buy." HEBRON, WEST BANK (JULY 16, 2021) (REUTERS) YOUNG MAN CARRYING SHEEP AND WALKING WITH OTHER SHEEP TOWARD THE FRIDAY LIVESTOCK MARKET IN HEBRON PEOPLE CHECKING THE LIVESTOCK (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOHAMMED ZALOUM, CUSTOMER, SAYING: "History has never recorded prices like this. I'm above 70 years old, 75 years old, never in our lives did we even dream of prices like this. The reasons for this, many that we don't want to go into, but there are no imports (of fodder), with this, the prices would decrease. There are many many reasons for this (situation)." VARIOUS OF FRIDAY LIVESTOCK MARKET IN HEBRON, WHERE PEOPLE GATHER TO BUY AND SELL LIVESTOCK SHEEP CHILD HOLDING A SHEEP
  • Embargoed: 2nd August 2021 09:45
  • Keywords: Eid Palestinians Sheep meat prices
  • Location: JERICHO AND HEBRON, WEST BANK
  • City: JERICHO AND HEBRON, WEST BANK
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Middle East,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001EMIAOGL
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: For Butcher shop owner, Nazeh Aamar, the Eid al-Adha "feast of sacrifice" would usually be a busy time of year for his business.
    But just days before the annual Muslim festival, Nazeh is struggling to find customers who can afford to buy meat this year, he told Reuters.
    "Till now, we haven't sold a single one (sheep)," he said, blaming the high price of animal feed for the increased cost of his produce.
    "The people who used to have 200 sheep, now only have 100 because they are not able to feed them all."
    Tending to his livestock in Jericho, Sulieman Al-Zaid also blamed increasing fodder prices for the financial difficulties.
    "A ton of barley is about 1,500 shekels, which is equivalent to 300 Jordanian dinars, and the fodder, the mixture that is for livestock or for sheep, is above 2,000 shekels per ton," he said. "This is the reason for the high price of the sacrifice,"
    Mahmoud Fatafta, a specialist in livestock at the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture told Reuters there are many reasons for the price increase, including economic difficulties and increased prices due to the holiday.
    At a livestock market in Hebron, customers haggled for lower prices ahead of the Eid feast.
    "History has never recorded prices like this," said Mohammed Zaloum. "I'm above 70 years old and never in our lives did we even dream of prices like this."
    "All the traders know that people are committed to carrying out this sacrifice, and because of this they can put the price that they want."
    Eid Al Adha -- the feast of sacrifice -- is one of the most important holidays in the Muslim Calendar. It includes the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, known as Haj, which is one of the five pillars of Islam and is supposed to be undertaken by every Muslim.
    (Production: Adel Abu Nemeh, Yosri Al-Jamal, Roleen Tafakji, Zainah El-Haroun)
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