As the fear Covid-19 is not as much when compared to the situation last year, online sales of sacrificial animals this Eid has declined. People have been showing more interest in on-the-spot purchases so far this year.

Besides, the experience of buying animals online has not been smooth for everyone, which has contributed to the decline as well.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, about 90,93,242 animals were sacrificed across the country last year, of which, 3,87,579 were bought online.

For the last eight years, Bikroy has been bringing sacrificial animals for Eid-ul-Azha. In today’s busy life, digital purchases have become a necessity. Our site has so far posted over 10,000 sacrificial animal advertisements, and around 2,000 have been sold.

Ishita Sharmin, CEO of Bikroy.com

According to Department of Livestock Services, 1.21 crore animals have been prepared for sacrifice this year.

However, the digital “haat” is still being operated by Dhaka North City Corporation, e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) and Bangladesh Dairy Farm Association (BDFA), with technical support from a2i’s online platform Ekshop.

Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir, a2i project director, told this correspondent, “The fear of Covid-19 is no longer the same as before. Due to the lower number of infections this year, people are less keen to purchase sacrificial animals online and more interested in on-the-spot purchases. The response has been low so far, when compared to the last two years’.”

According to e-CAB, 3,87,000 cows, goats and other animals were sold online last year, with a market value of Tk 2,500 crore.

Around 11,13, 809 visitors have visited “Digital Haat” this year as of yesterday, while 38,641 animals have been sold on the online platform and “Ancholik haat” under the platform. The total sales have amounted to Tk 355 crore.

Around 10,590 animals have been sold by merchants, with sales amounting to Tk 87 crore. There have been 422 crore transactions online this year so far.

Although sales are low, the platform is working for better connectivity across the market. Customers can get more aware about their purchases, while new farmers are entering the platform as well.

Ishita Sharmin, CEO of Bikroy.com, said, “For the last eight years, Bikroy has been bringing sacrificial animals for Eid-ul-Azha. In today’s busy life, digital purchases have become a necessity. Our site has so far posted over 10,000 sacrificial animal advertisements, and around 2,000 have been sold.”

“Considering the overall Covid situation, this year, we have tried to bring a greater number of sacrificial animals for customers. However, we also recommend purchasing with caution. We encourage vendors to use pictures taken from different angles while putting up advertisements,” she added.

Chief Marketing Officer of Daraz Tajdin Hassan said their platform has sold 250 animals this year, while it sold 350 last year.

“Daraz provided free home deliveries and other offers for purchase of sacrificial animals,” he added.

Some individual online-sellers, however, have seen better sales compared to last year.

Sanjeeda Akhter, founder of Sanju-Shafiq Agro, told this correspondent that 13 bulls from her farm were sold online last year.

“This year, we put 12 cows for sale from our farm. All of them have been sold. We provide home delivery, which has made our sales faster,” she explained.

Many  have also opted for online purchases due to their convenience.

Robin Raihan, a resident of Uttara, said, “I buy sacrificial animals from an online shop because it is hassle-free.”