'They buy from chain supermarkets, this is not a sacrifice': Vice President of the Turkish Butchers Federation issues warning

The Antalya Commodity Exchange (ATB) organized a Livestock and Meat Trade Sectoral Analysis Meeting ahead of Eid al-Adha.

During the meeting, the livestock inventory, issues encountered in the trade of sacrificial animals, and proposed solutions were discussed ahead of Eid al-Adha. Cüneyt Doğan, a member of the ATB Board of Directors and Treasurer, noted that they organized the sectoral analysis meeting as they do every year before Eid al-Adha, highlighting that they brought the problems and demands of the livestock sector to the agenda. Doğan thanked the participants, stating that the issues, opinions, and demands raised during the meeting would be shared with the relevant institutions and organizations.

"NO SHORTAGE OF SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS"

Asım Karabulut, Deputy Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry in Antalya, stated that there are 175,000 cattle and 1.5 million small ruminants in Antalya, adding, "We have no shortage in the supply of sacrificial animals. Our breeders are ready for Eid al-Adha."

Stating that there is also animal movement and trade from neighboring provinces due to Eid al-Adha, Karabulut said that the necessary inspections and interventions regarding animal diseases have been carried out.

REACTION TO SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS IN SUPERMARKETS

Osman Yardımcı, President of the Turkish Federation of Butchers, Breeders, Meat and Meat Products, said that there is no shortage of sacrificial animals in Turkey, though demand might be low due to economic reasons. Stating that for a slaughtered animal to be considered a religious sacrifice, it must be slaughtered at a specific time and with specific rituals, Yardımcı expressed his reaction to the sacrificial animals sold in chain supermarkets. Yardımcı said, "People buy what chain supermarkets and shopping malls sell as if they were selling meat by the kilo, thinking it is a sacrifice. Meat arrives at people's homes at 9:00 AM on the morning of the holiday. There are no slaughterhouses that can slaughter this many animals at the same time. They are sending meat they collected from outside, kilo by kilo, to people's homes as a sacrifice. This is not a sacrifice."

Reporting that 1 out of every 4 sacrificial animals slaughtered during Eid al-Adha is purchased from supermarkets, Yardımcı said, "There is a huge rent-seeking scheme here. The sacrifice has no head, no hide, no liver, no tripe. We invite the Ministry of Trade to take action. According to our religion, an animal slaughtered before its time is not a sacrifice. We are not hindering anyone's trade, but the sacrifice is our religious duty."

PRICE PER KILOGRAM STARTS AT 300 TL

Ata Sönmez, a member of the 5th Professional Committee of the Antalya Commodity Exchange (ATB), stated that the live weight price per kilogram for sacrificial animals starts at 300 TL, adding, "For cattle, the live animal price is 300 TL per kilogram, and for those who want slaughtering and processing services, this figure reaches 350 TL."