According to sources at the Jeddah sheep market, sheep prices have shot up by as much as 40 percent during the holy month of Ramadan.
Several factors have been attributed to this, including the huge increase in prices of fodder and a hike in import charges. Moreover, demand is by far outstripping supply. Two workers at the market, Bashir Saud and Saleh Rabie, told Arab News that there has been an increase in the prices of all types of sheep meat.
“The prices of sheep range between SR850 and SR1,100 during Ramadan,” said Saud.
“This is compared to a maximum of SR900 before the holy month. We expect the prices to increase further over Ramadan and the Eid Al-Fitr holiday due to higher demand and lower supply.”
The grim market situation has forced several Saudis to abandon some of their favorite mutton dishes and turn to camel meat and beef.
Mishaal Al-Baqami says he only pays as much as SR600 to buy 15 kilograms of camel meat, as opposed to paying more than SR1,000 for a head of sheep weighing the same.
“I am very happy that camel meat, which has a higher protein content and is lower in calories, is now much cheaper. I also see this as a good opportunity to deal a severe blow to greedy traders at the sheep market,” he said.
Muhammad Nafie, another citizen, slammed the price rise.
“This is simply exploitation by traders and sheep farmers. The authorities should intervene to rein in such an unjustifiable hike in prices,” he said.
Echoing his sentiments, fellow Saudi Majed Al-Shahri said that this unjust price rise affects mainly those on limited incomes.
Saeed Al-Johani and Abdullah Al-Zahrani, regular customers of the sheep market, expressed their unhappiness over the huge increase in prices.
“It was an immense surprise for us to learn that price of a lamb shot up to more than SR900 when we visited the market the other day in Ramadan,” Al-Johani said.
Salem Al-Hobaishi claims livestock traders are fixing prices to compensate for earlier losses sustained due to an increase in the prices of fodder and barley.
A trader at Jeddah sheep market, Musallat Al-Baqami, hit back at the claims, saying the imbalance in supply and demand was to blame.
“The market has been witnessing such a huge shortage in lamb for the first time, and this resulted in prices increasing by over 25 percent,” he said.
“Prices are being fixed in accordance with the actual cost of importing livestock. Moreover, there has been an increase of 20 percent in cargo charges. Therefore, it is quite natural that this would have a knock-on effect on consumers. Sheep farmers have also suffered due to a recent price hike on livestock.”
He added that the profit margin on mutton is lower than ever for traders.
