By Nyima Sillah
Traders of rams within the Greater Banjul Area have lamented on low sale of rams for the upcoming feast locally known as tobaski.
The daily sale of rams which used to be thing of joy is now creating fear in the mind of traders who have invested money on the rams this year. Thus, they are now facing fear of losing their capitals invested on the trade this year. The fear and complain is that customers are not coming out to buy rams for this year’s tobaski, which falls amid the coronavirus pandemic which cases are rising gradually in the country.
Bunja Fofana, a ram seller told The Voice that customers are not turning up to buy rams for this year’s tobaski compare to previous years “Sometimes if we have limited sales, we make discount on the last days which is a lost for us or else we will have to take care of the sheep until next year.”
But again, he said, when there is low sales it could result to hike in price. “I am selling my rams for D35, 000, D30, 000 because they are very big compared to others. But today, even if I get D27, 000 I will sell it out,” he said
According to him this year’s rise in prices for rams is as a result of scarcity of it in the country despite the late importation.
But Alasanna Dampha laid blame on Kanifing Municipal Council saying “KMC added another new payment of D500 per each sheep.”
He said: “Before we could settle our sheep which was not happening last year and when we asked them, they said it was because of the cleaning issue. This is a difficult time for all so we have to have mercy on each other.”
Abu Bah, also a sheep dealer said people only come to inquire about prices saying “I understand that they don’t have money because of the current situation not only in the country but around the world.”
“So, I also reduced the amount of my sheep that were costing D15,000 to D12,000 or even D11,000 just to help customers yet, no improvement,” he added.
