Early Tet at the largest buffalo market in the country
(Baonghean.vn) - Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, although there is still more than a month until the Lunar New Year, in recent sessions, buffaloes and cows have been sold crowdedly at U market.
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| At only 3am, when the space was still covered by darkness, the roads in Dai Son commune, Do Luong district (Nghe An), were bustling with the sounds of people chatting, vehicles passing by and even the sound of cows mooing. Herds of buffalo and cows followed each other, trucks of all kinds carrying livestock busily tore through the night in this countryside. All roads led to U market, located right in the center of the commune. Everyone looked hurried. Photo: Tien Hung |
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| The market is divided into two areas for buffalo and cows. According to Mr. Tran Trung Hieu (34 years old), one of the experienced buffalo drivers in Dai Son commune, the market is usually busiest at the end of the year. However, this year, due toimpact of Covid-19, traders who buy buffalo and cows from Thailand, Laos... will have to be quarantined for 14 days. Fearing they won't be able to celebrate Tet, these days convoys of trucks have been carrying goods to the market. Photo: Tien Hung |
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| The area for selling buffaloes. No one knows since when, this market has a rule that there are only 6 meetings per month, on the 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th, 21st, 26th of the lunar calendar. Regardless of winter or summer, regardless of rain or wind, at 4am, transactions begin. But to find a good spot in the market, many people come an hour early to reserve a spot. Photo: Tien Hung |
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| All kinds of buffalo and cows are sold here. From large buffaloes that cost hundreds of millions of dong to calves less than a month old, bought to be "shave calves". Photo: Tien Hung |
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| The biggest buffalo at the market is for sale for 90 million VND. Photo: Tien Hung |
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| Three calves, only one month old, are for sale for 20 million VND. Photo: Tien Hung |
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| Most transactions are in cash. Photo: Tien Hung |
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| Traders lead buffaloes onto trucks and transport them to the northern provinces. Mr. Nguyen Canh Lam - Chairman of Dai Son Commune People's Committee said that the buffalo and cow trading profession in Dai Son has existed for a long time. Previously, there was no market, buffalo and cows often gathered at odd points along the road to sell. It was not until the early 1980s that the U market began to open, and then buffalo and cows were brought here to sell. "Currently, each U market session trades about 1,800 buffalo and cows. During the peak months of Covid-19, the market decreased a bit, but still traded over 1,000 buffalo and cows. Most of them were bought from Southeast Asian countries, then sold to China," Mr. Lam said, adding that the bustling buffalo market has brought high income to local people. Many families have become rich after a short time doing this job. Many jobs also depend on the buffalo market, such as buffalo herding, buffalo herding, hunting and taking care of fighting buffaloes... Currently, in Dai Son commune alone, there are more than 300 households that are professional traders. In addition, the commune also has about 100 large trucks specializing in transporting buffaloes and cows to the northern border for consumption. Photo: Tien Hung |
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| At the end of each market session, there are usually dramatic buffalo fights. Traders often choose the biggest buffaloes in the market and pair them together. The fights are not only for entertainment betting but also a chance for traders to make a lot of money. Because if they fight well, the buffalo hunters present at the market are willing to buy them at double the normal price. Photo: Tien Hung |
