Sheep trading in al-Tabqa maintains its customs

MUHAMMAD AL-ARAB/ AL-TABQA

Sheep trade for many centuries has been one of the most important aspects of economic activity in this area and the breeders, the "indicator" and the sheep market remain the most important elements in this trade.

The breeder is rarely directly connected to the market, the middle man is the one who connects him with the market and "the middle man" is an expert bargaining broker, his experience in trade is based on his experience with cattle, he has an authority that does not argue and is a guarantor of market ethics.

The largest market in al-Tabqa is located in the south-eastern corner of al-Tabqa city. The gathering takes place in this area on Friday, where cattle breeders come from all over al-Tabqa and there is also a livestock feed section.

The second largest market for sheep is held on Saturday every week in al-Mansoura, 20 km southeast of al-Tabqa city, and al-Jarniya market, 60 km northwest of al-Tabqa, where merchants also gather every Sunday.

The breeder goes to the sheep market early in the morning hoping to finish his work quickly so as to avoid spending a long stop in the city, so he depends on the "middle man" Sometimes there is a "governor" who is a mediator in conflict situations, and be one of the known figures in the sheep market and a place of confidence of everyone.

The sale is often done with weight, especially when it is a lamb because the lambs often eat "barley".

In the sheep trade, there are two types of partnership that may be concluded: "earing company" and "bone company", in this regard, earing company remains the most representative partner for the acceleration of transactions related to sheep trade, simpler than the "al-Azim", it is no less relevant to the production cycle and the classroom cycle.

"al-Azim partnership" connects a merchant from the city to the breeder where the trader makes a herd and gives it to the breeder to care of it, the herd produces "baby animals, milk and milk products and wool." It is taken by the merchant until the initial capital is repaid and when the capital is collected, the herd is divided equally between the merchant and the breeder.

The owner has to deal with the fluctuations of the market as a stock exchange and here often recorded accounts by writing, the owner of the capital is a herd managed by the breeder in "Badia" for a few months and the cattle are often young sheep and when the price of meat rise, the herd is fully sold ande the partners share profits according to each share of the capital.

In the case of loss, if the capital owner wants to refinance and to undertake the expenses and can be considered the process here a mere speculation in one day or in several days can buy and sell herd.

There are what the people of the area call "al-Manieha", part of the herd, which was given to the most destitute to help him live, although he had only the right to use and did not exceed 20 heads because more than that is called a herd.

It is also customary for sheep breeders in al-Tabqa area to distinguish each one of them his sheep by means of a sign placed on all sheep and called "stamp" is a spot of paint placed in a specific place of the body of sheep and often on the tail, and also stamping in different colors so that the similarity of the stamp of the breeder of another breeder in terms of color or position so as not to mix the sheep with each other, especially when the pastures are common.

(H/S)

ANHA