Eid al-Qurban in the Pandemic Era: Sales of Qurbani Animals are greatly reduced in Indonesia

The government predicts there will be a 10% decrease in demand for sacrificial animals this year. Director of Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture's Directorate General of PKH, Nuryani Zainuddin, estimates that the number of requests for sacrificial animals on Eid al-Adha this year is only around 1.5 million sacrificial animals. The prediction figure is down from the realization of sales of sacrificial animals on Eid al-Adha last year which reached 1.68 million heads, as mentioned by detik.com

"It is predicted that in 2021 it will decrease by 10%, there is a possibility of a decrease in slaughtering related to sacrificial animals. Approximately the remaining 1.5 million heads include cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep," said Nuryani in the same discussion.

When it comes to the stock of sacrificial animals, he guarantees that it will be sufficient to cover this year's needs, even more. Nuryani explained that there were 1.76 million sacrificial animals nationally, ranging from cows, buffalo, goats, to sheep.

Farmers are nervous, this year the sale of sacrificial animals is not predicted to provide much profit. Selling sacrificial animals is increasingly difficult in the midst of a pandemic, the number of requests is said to be going down. The main reason is the weakening purchasing power of the people in the midst of the pandemic.

According to the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Indonesian Cattle and Buffalo Breeders Association (PPSKI), Nanang Purus Subendro, currently people who are still interested in buying sacrificial animals are mostly looking for cheap animals.

For example, for the demand for cows, most people look for those under Rp. 23 million. In fact, most cows are much more expensive than that.

"Regarding the declining demand, purchasing power has indeed decreased. The demand for sacrificial animals is relatively small. Many are looking for prices below Rp. 23 million. ," said Nanang in a virtual discussion on FMB 9, Monday (12/7/2021).

On the other hand, there has also been a 50% decrease in demand for sacrificial animals at the level of impromptu sacrificial animal traders. Even then the traders have also reduced the amount of supply of animals they sell.

"On D-8 alone, demand is still much below 50% of what is prepared. Even though traders in the field also reduce the amount of stock in the field," said Nanang.