Abu Dhabi: Eid Al Adha demand fuels livestock prices

Abu Dhabi: Demand for sacrificial animals, such as goats and sheep, remains strong for Eid Al Adha, the Islamic Festival of Sacrifice, which this year falls on June 28, 2028.

Due to a spike in demand, prices of some popular varieties of the animals at the livestock market in Abu Dhabi have increased by up to Dh300, traders and customers say.

Smaller goats and sheep are priced at around Dh600 to Dh800. Prices vary according to the variety, weight, health and country of origin of the livestock.

Muslims buy sacrificial animals for Eid Al Adha to donate some of the meat to charity, gift a portion to loved ones, and for preparing feasts at home.

Ibrahim Al Thahli, owner of Al Mir’s Kitchen for Traditional Cuisine, a restaurant in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News: “The prices of sheep and other sacrificial animals rise on religious, social and national occasions. It is known that the market is subject to supply and demand and because the demand for meat and sacrificial animals rises during these occasions, traders and suppliers [increase] the prices.”

He gave the example of the popular Al Nuaimi sheep, now costing Dh1,500 per head during Eid Al Adha as compared to Dh1,200 on other days.

Price rise

Farm owner Abu Imran said there is a wide variety of sacrificial animals in the market, both local and imported. However, the local animals are not as common.

This year, there has been a fall in the number of cattle and sheep from farms in the UAE, according to Abu Imran, such as Al Nuaimi and Al Najdi sheep.

Khaled Abdel Wahed, a customer buying livestock for Eid, said: “I’ve noticed the rise in prices. For example, the price of Australian sheep slaughtered locally is now more than Dh600, while its price on other days of the year does not exceed Dh450 to Dh500.

"The same thing I’ve seen when it comes to Al Nuaimi sheep, which is considered as one of the finest types for sacrifices. Its price is now more than Dh1,500, compared to Dh1,200 normally.”

Another customer, Adel Al Hammadi, said: “I always advise my friends and relatives to buy sacrificial animals well before the start of the Eid season, when demand peaks. We commend government agencies for their efforts to regulate traders and suppliers from exploiting demand.”

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