Pugu cattle supply down, prices up

By DAILY NEWS Reporter

CATTLE supply at Pugu auction market decreased by 9 per cent in the third week of January, pushing up prices of almost all the breeds.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the week ending January 21, saw cattle supply falling to 4,914 from 6,447 of the previous session. The prices of mature female cattle grade two (G2) increased to 805,000/- from 757,000/- of the previous session, representing 6.3 per cent rise.

Similarly, the prices for grade two (G3) female cattle recorded a 0.8 per cent increase to 617,000/- from 622,000/- of the preceding auction. The prices for mature cattle male grade (G2) decreased to 875,000/- compared to 880,000/- of the other period which represents 0.6 per cent change.
The prices of the male cattle grade (G3) increased to 700,000/- from 685,000/- of the other session which is 2.2 per cent change. Some of the regions where most of the cattle came from were Arusha, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Kagera, Dodoma, Singida, Mbeya, Musoma and Tabora. Meanwhile, the weekly average sales of goats at the market increased to 3,472 from 2,933 -which is representing 18.4 per cent change.
The prices for mature female goat grade two (2) registered 11.7 per cent change to 75,000/- from 85,000/- of the previous week.
The prices for male goats grade three (2) declined to 90,000/- from 91,500/-, which is equivalent to 1.6 per cent change. Mature male goats grade three saw its prices declining to 67,000/- from 72,000/-, which is equivalent to 13.9 per cent while female goats grade three remained unchanged at 55,000/- as in the previous session.