Cattle rearers worried

Paddy growers in the district are happy as they are getting unexpected earning from selling straw, but cattle farmers are unhappy over the price hike.

The price of paddy straw in the local markets has jumped around four times from last year's as it is the main fodder for cattle and there is high demand for it, said farmers.

One thousand bundles of paddy straw (one bundle paddy straw weighs about half a kg) are being sold for around Tk 4,000 now, while it was around Tk 2,500 a month ago and about Tk 1,200 last year.

Paddy grower Nur Islam, 52, of Mahipur village in Kaliganj upazila, said he got 6,300 bundles of straw from four bighas of land, while he got 58 maunds (one maund=40 kg) of paddy in the Aman season. “I sold 3,000 bundles for Tk 2,500 per 1,000 bundles a month ago,” he said. “I sold 2,000 more bundles for Tk 8,000 last week, and I am keeping 1,300 bundles for our two cows,” he said, adding that unexpected earning from selling straw has made him interested in farming paddy.

“High price of straw brings profit and we are now interested in paddy farming on a large scale,” said Soleman Ali, 58, of the same village. “Now we are getting around 60 percent of the production cost of paddy farming from selling straw,” he added.

Cattle farmer Abdul Latif, 48, of Bhadai village in Aditmari upazila, said he is very upset over the price hike of straw. “I have six cattle and 90 bundles of straw are needed for them daily. I am thinking of selling four cattle,"he said.

“Last year, I purchased 1,000 bundles for Tk 1,200, but the price has jumped to Tk 4,000 this year, which is a threat to cattle rearing,” said Ashraful Islam, 45, of  Sadar upazila.

Straw trader Rafiqul Islam, 48, of BDR Haat in the town, said huge quantities of straw are being sent to different parts of the country. “High demand this year caused the price hike,” he said.

District Livestock Officer Dr Nasir Uddin Khan said now almost all the people in villages and many in town areas rear cattle for additional earning. “The price of straw, the main fodder for cattle, is rising, but cattle price is the same as in the past,” he said.

Department of Agriculture Extension Deputy Director Bidhubhushon Roy said around 85,25,000 bundles of paddy straw were produced from 82,500 hectares of land in the last Aman season.