Crossing the huge gates of the camel market at Birqash, northwest of Cairo, feels like stepping into a new city where only spacious stretches of sand with camels and men wearing the Galabeya exist. The crowdedness of the city, pollution and modern technology is only an hour away from the place.
Birqash camel market is the biggest market to import and sell camels in the Middle East, spread over a space of 25,000 acres. Several species of camels are being sold in there at different prices, all depending on the camels’ type, age, gender and health condition. Moreover, the prices of meat in the city affect the prices of the camels sold in auctions. Hundreds of camels are sold every day from 7 am to 10 am, within prices that may exceed EGP 10,000.
Most camels are imported from Sudan, and brought to the market, where they are often treated brutally. To the merchants, they are commodities, and hence, treated as such. The camels that cannot survive the long haul from Upper Egypt are disposed of along the side of the road leading to the market.
The Birqash market was named after a nearby mountain of the same name. It was established 20 years ago.
All photos taken by Mohamed Omar
