Some butchers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the continuous hike in the price of cattle, saying the development has made the business frustrating.
Some of the butchers in various markets in the FCT also appealed to government at all levels to intervene by supporting them with soft loans.
Mr Sunday Godwin, a butcher who spoke in Abuja on Sunday, said the business was no longer profitable like before.
Godwin said that although they reviewed upward the price of meat per kilogramme, the butchers were still not meeting up with the prices from the owners of the cattle.
”Due to the high cost of cow that we buy from our Fulani customers, we increased from N4,000 to N4,500 per kilogramme of meat.
”When the price became so high again, we increased to N5,000 and some are selling at N5,500 and that is the situation now.
”We are not happy because most of our customers don’t buy anymore. Most of us sell and don’t recoup our capital that we used to buy the meat.
”This is affecting us,” he said.
Mr Victor Chukwuemeka, another butcher at Durumi market along Apo, said that the cost of a male cow was between N800,000 and N900,000 depending on the size.
Chukwuemeka said that astronomical price increase had left butchering business shaky.
”The nature of this business now is just for us to do it and don’t stay at home.
”I would have stopped but just that I can’t go into another business at this my age.
”When we buy the little we can, we just sell and gather the money to buy another one.
”Sometimes, I will be struggling for the money I used in buying the meat to be complete first before I talk about profit,” he said.
Mr Destiny Ogada, a butcher at Karu market, said the high cost of cow meat had made him to switch to the sale of goat meat.
”I was selling cow meat before but when I could no longer buy it, I switched to goat meat so that I can still be doing something.
”The government should come to our aid. We need help either for the government to fix prices or support us with some funds,” Ogada said.
However, Mr Chukwudi Ibeh, a butcher at Gariki market said that in spite of the high cost, he still made some profits at the end of his sales.
A kilogramme of cow meat is currently sold at N5,000 as against the initial price of N4,000, while a kilogramme of cow intestine which sold at N3,000 now cost N4,000.
Cow leg which was formerly sold for between N2,500 and N3,500 is now being sold between N5,500 and N6,000.
The head of a cow, which was sold for between N40,000 and N45,000 is now being sold between N60,000 and N70,000.
