RIYADH: Several livestock traders here have asked Riyadh Municipality to intervene in the market by fixing the prices of animals so that big firms cannot undercut them.

Traders in Azizia district said that this would prevent big operators from extorting money from them in exchange for not raising prices, according to reports.

They claimed that each of them are being asked to pay SR50,000 to the big operators in exchange for price stability. They said big players raise or lower the price of livestock to undercut them, resulting in losses and an inability to provide for their families.

They said it was only the municipality that can now intervene to fix the rates, and crack down on the big players.