Ram sellers in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, have bemoaned low patronage ahead of the eid-el-kabir celebration, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
A market survey conducted by NAN on Tuesday in the city showed that few customers was seen buying the sacrificial animal with the Sallah festival some few days away.
Some of customers, who spoke to NAN, said the prices were too high compared to 2015.
According to them, the prices ranged between N38,000 and N95,000 as against N25,000 and N 86,000 last year.
A ram seller, Abubakar Sanusi, told NAN that a big ram, which sold for N86,000 last year, now cost more than N100,000, while a medium sized ram costs between N55,000 and N60,000.
Small ram, which sold for N20,000 last year, is now going for between N25,000 and N45,000.
Sanusi attributed the hike in the prices of rams to the parlous state of the economy, the high exchange rate of the naira and high cost of transportation.
A customer, Laval Abdul, who was seen purchasing a ram, decried the high cost.
He said that he never thought the cost of the animals would skyrocket to such extent.
He also attributed low patronage to the economic situation in the country.
He said that if not for his family, he would rather have purchased goat instead of ram.
Abdul said: “I do not know what is going on in this country any more. I am shock at the prices of rams this year.
“Rams are so expensive that I could only afford a small one. If not for my family, I would rather buy a goat instead.”
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