STORY: Sacrificial animals become financial burden for Turks as Eid al-Adha approaches
DATELINE: June 20, 2023
LENGTH: 0:04:13
LOCATION: Ankara
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of a sacrificial animal market in Ankara
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): BATTAL AKKAS, Cattle farmer
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): RAMAZAN TOGA, Customer at a sacrificial animal market

STORYLINE:

The Muslim festival Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, is approaching. However, sacrificing a sheep or a cow has become a financial burden for cash-strapped Turks.

Prices have doubled or even tripled as Türkiye is witnessing staggering inflation in the past two-and-a-half years.

In a sacrificial animal market on the outskirts of the capital city of Ankara, breeders and customers alike complained about the soaring cost of living.

Battal Akkas came to the fair from the northern province of Amasya to sell his Simmental cows.

The cost of animal feed has quadrupled while the amount he pays to drive his livestock to Ankara has tripled since the last Feast of Sacrifice, forcing Akkas to nearly triple the price of his meat.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): BATTAL AKKAS, Cattle farmer
"I have been here for 9 days and I sold all my animals. Last year, I sold the same cow for 42,000 lira (about 1,780 USD). This year I sold a similar animal for 110,000 lira (about 4,664 USD). The price of feed and fodder has tripled since last year, reflecting the cost of an animal because of inflation... People who come here to buy an animal are complaining about the high prices.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): RAMAZAN TOGA, Customer at a sacrificial animal market
"The price of a sheep is between 7,000 and 13,000 lira (around 297 and 551 US dollars) here, last year it was around 2,000 (about 85 US dollars). This year prices are very high. What can the breeder do? Their costs have gone up dramatically, but we are also on a budget. The cost-of-living crisis is affecting everyone in Türkiye. In the building where I live, all my neighbors are complaining about high prices for staple food."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ankara.
(XHTV)