Livestock traders start showcasing sacrificial animals online

NEW DELHI: Livestock traders have been showcasing their sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha online due to the coronavirus.

Millions of goats, sheep, and cattle are slaughtered annually at Eid al-Azha, however, the coronavirus pandemic has badly hit India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, which have shut down major markets to curb the spread of the virus.

As per the latest report, livestock breeders and traders have turned to websites, apps, and social media to showcase their animals due to the fear of the virus that is keeping customers away ahead of the main festival on upcoming Saturday.

Read more: Eid-ul-Azha: Federal govt announces three days holiday

After booking them online, the animals are delivered to buyers in open-air vehicles, which can carry 10 to 15 of them. In Muslim-majority Pakistan, home to 215 million people, dozens of apps and websites have sprung up.

Buyers can select an animal and have it delivered to their doorstep, slaughtered, or donated to a charity. Qurbani App chief executive Muhammad Ali Chaudhry said that orders have gone through the roof.

Islamabad goat farmer Muhammad Naeem, meanwhile, said his digital transactions had jumped from 20 percent of sales to almost half. However, the rise in online sales has been accompanied by plunging prices.