Many butchers and consumers of beef in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the rising cost of cattle in the market.

Some of them who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Sunday said the high cost was due to the current scarcity of the animals, occasioned by their transitional period.

Chukwuemeka Victor, a cattle dealer and butcher in Durumi market, said the prices of the animals had generally increased from N150,000 to N200,000 for small, medium, and big-sized cows.

Mr Victor attributed the increase to the scarcity of the old species (dry season cow), giving way to the new species (wet season cow).

He said that a small-sized cow, which went for between N350,000 and N400,00,0 was now being sold for between N500,000 and N600,000.

Mr Victor said that a medium-sized cow, formerly sold for between N600,000 and N700,000, now goes for between N800,000 and one million naira, while the biggest-sized ones now go for between N1.5 million and two million naira.

He said that a kilo of beef, formerly sold for between N5,000 and N5,500, was now being sold for between N6,500 and N7,000.

”This is the season for the animals to be expensive due to this season when a new specie of cattle is coming out and the old ones are going.

”Any season it is time for the transition when the new ones are coming out, the old ones become so scarce and expensive, just like yams.

”By June to July, the price will come down when the wet season cows will come out very well,” he said.

Another butcher in Nyanya market, Theophilus Adeoye, said the increase was affecting his business negatively, as some of his customers had resorted to other alternatives for their protein needs.

”We are running shortages now. I am just buying to maintain some of my customers who still come to patronise me,” he said.

A consumer of beef, Ifesinachi Okoro, said she no longer purchased beef as the price was higher than her budget and purchasing power.

Ms Okoro said she had resorted to the purchase of fish for her family’s protein needs.

Beatrice Ejeh, a food vendor, said she had increased the price of a piece of beef from N200 to N250.

”Many of my customers now eat without beef these days.

”Some of them will just request for kpomo just for something to be in their food,” she said.

(NAN)