The price of sacrificial livestock, especially sheep and goats, has gone up ahead of the Islamic festival of Id-ul-Adha (Bakrid).

As the festival, due to be celebrated on May 28, draws closer, Muslims have been flocking to cattle market towns and farms in and around Tiruchi to secure their purchases.

The animals are slaughtered in a ritual known as ‘Qurbani’ and one-third shares each of the meat are distributed among the needy, friends and relatives, and family.

“Costs have increased substantially, as bulk orders of meat in butcheries that were being sold for ₹650-₹800 per kilo last year for Bakrid, are now priced at ₹1,000-₹1,150 this year, depending on the area. Many farms that had reared animals specifically for Id-ul-Adha have been unable to move their stock because of lack of buyers,” Mohamed Ashiq, of Tiruchi National Farm, told The Hindu.

The Gundur-based farm sources Bakrid livestock from Mylampadi, Madurai, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Bihar, among other cities.

“For Bakrid orders, we prefer to buy the kids and rear them on our farm for around 11 months. Since the young animals are more reasonably priced (approximately ₹8,000 a head), it is more profitable for farmers to buy them in bulk. At present, sacrificial goats (with a minimum weight of 35 kg), cost between ₹25,000 to ₹28,000,” Mr. Ashiq said.

For those who cannot afford to buy goat/sheep, the kootu Qurbani (group sacrifice) allows them to form a team of seven members to share the meat of a larger animal such as cow, buffalo or camel.

“We have achieved our target of 400 goats for the Bakrid orders this year. Goats from Mechery, Ramanathapuram and ‘Velladu’ are in great demand because of their tasty meat. We are selling goats from 35 kilos to 65 kilos this year,” said Imtiaz Ahmad, Al-Amanath Goat Farm, Kuvalaipatti.

Butcheries in the city are accepting bulk orders for pre-cut meat to be delivered on the day of the festival, while several mosques and Islamic welfare organisations have organised enrolment schemes for kootu Qurbani in the city.