The prices of rams, the most essential ingredient for the celebration of the upcoming Muslim festival, Eid el Kabir, have crashed unusually in Kaduna state with an outpouring of supplies to the state’s markets.

A visit, on Sunday, to one of the popular animal market, Kawo Yan Tumaki ram market, Kaduna showed that the prices of the rams have dropped drastically. A ram that would normally cost N50, 000 now goes for N40, 000, while those of N42, 000 and N38, 000 sell at N25, 000.

This fall in prices for the rams could be associated with the influx of the animal in the last two days to the state.

One ram seller, who gave his name as Hassan, told PREMIUM TIMES that the rams prices came down because of increased supply in the state.

“I brought 200 rams last week from Kano and I have only sold 35 by today, Sallah eve. Of course, I have to bring down my price so that I can sell the rams before the end of the festivities, which is Thursday. Many of my friends who also sell rams have the same problem.”

Mr Hassan also said he was sure that he would not sell all his rams this year because of the low patronage and over-availability of the animal.

Another ram dealer, Bello, initially, people were scared away by the high prices but now that the prices were down, sales were yet to improve.

“The rams are just too much in the state. You can imagine that people are still bringing them in, even as of today.”

A visit around Kaduna ram markets, on Monday, Tudun Wada, Usarki, Urimi and Badikkoalso, also revealed the same low sales.

Umar Mohammed, a civil servant in the state, said the low patronage could also be blamed that many civil servants were not paid their salaries ahead the festivities.

“In fact, it is today that we expect to get paid for the month of September; I work with Kaduna North Local Government. If I get my salary even by tomorrow I will buy one small ram.”

However, ram prices in other parts of the country are, reportedly still being sold at very high prices.

A ram seller, Haruna, who recently returned from Ibadan said he sold off all of his sixty rams.

“The high cost of the rams in the south is associated with mainly transportation cost. Transporting the animal from the north to the south is expensive so we have to put all that into consideration. I am not seeing such a drop in prices over there.”

Eid-el-Kabir celebrations started on Monday and will end on Thursday.