Dahhas and Sultan Al-Maimooni MAKKAH/MADINAH — Despite the stagnation in sheep markets all over the Kingdom, especially in Makkah and Madinah, prices have started shooting up in the advent of Ramadan. However, a senior sheep trader said the hike in prices would not cross 10 percent. Traders in Madinah expected the prices to go up soon after the arrival of pension in the accounts of beneficiaries. A visit to the sheep market in Khadra, east of Makkah, on Monday showed a poor turnout of customers, despite the abundant availability of various types of sheep. "The prices are comparatively low this year compared to last year due to poor demand despite the impending arrival of Ramadan, which is one of the biggest trading seasons," said Akram, a trader. He said imported sheep, especially Sawakini from Sudan, has contributed considerably to bringing down prices by 20 percent. Prices of Sawakini begin from SR550 and reach up to SR950. The Harri breed on the other hand is sold for SR850 to SR1,300 while the Baladi breed is sold for SR850. "We used to see big demand for Harri and Baladi sheep during Ramadan," Akram told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. Rafie Omar, another trader, complained about a remarkable fall in demand this year despite a decrease in prices compared to previous years. "The prices of Harri breed remain stable despite the high demand for this variety," he added. Ali Marzouk Al-Qahtani spoke about another aspect of the market. He said sheep traders inflate prices in the absence of strict monitoring by the authorities despite adequate supply of various types of sheep. "Lack of fixed rates will enable traders to increase prices during the peak seasons such as Ramadan," he pointed out. Nawaf Saud Al-Harbi agreed with Al-Qahtani and called upon authorities such as municipalities and Commerce Ministry to conduct field inspections to rein in prices. "Trade should not be allowed to exploit special occasions to hike prices," he said, adding that sheep prices are still high in Makkah despite the huge supply. In Madinah, sheep prices remained stable throughout the month. Harri sheep was sold for SR900 to SR1,300 and Baladi for SR650 to SR900 while Sawakini was available for SR800 to SR1,000. Barbari sheep was sold for SR450 to SR650 depending on size. Traders in Madinah market said the prices usually go up by the end of Shaaban due to high demand for Ramadan. Prices peak in the last two days of Shaaban. Customers fear that traders would intentionally increase prices to exploit high demand for sheep in Ramadan. Ibrahim Ali and Ahmed Al-Harbi, however, said fodder prices would not be factor this year. Ali Aseeri, an importer, ruled out the possibility of any increase in prices due to adequate supplies. "I expect a maximum price hike of 10 percent."
