Low price blow to cattle farmers
Low price of sacrificial animals amid lack of buyers has come as a blow to a large number of cattle farmers in different districts, especially those affected by the recent floods.
The situation has arisen due to huge supply of local cattle added with influx of Indian cows ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Cattle farmers in Haor areas of Sunamganj are facing a serious setback as demand of local cows dropped due to massive entrance of cheaper Indian cattle, reports our Moulvibazar correspondent.
Entry of Indian cattle was allowed through Chhatak corridor in Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj and Bhulaganj corridor in Companyganj upazila of Sylhet from August 24, BGB officials said.
During a visit to different cattle markets in haor areas of Tahirpur, Bishwamvarpur, Doarabazar and Sunamganj Sadar upazilas, this correspondent saw that farmers and traders have brought large number of sacrificial animals to the markets, but there was very little sale and the prices were lower than last year's.
“This year I lost my Boro paddy in last April and a few days ago I lost my Aman too. Lastly I hoped to get some money by selling this cow for high price before the Eid. But the market price is too low,” said Motin Mia, a cattle farmer of Notunbazar area under Doarabazar upazila of Sunamganj.
Md Abdul Hay Fazlu, old lessee of Notunbazar area under Doarabazar upazila, said cattle prices dropped by Tk 5,000 to Tk 15,000 per animal due to huge supply.
Dr Md Gias Uddin, deputy director of the Department of Livestock, said the number of local cattle has increased due to various initiatives taken by the government and private entrepreneurs.
“About 5.50 lakh sacrificial animals are needed during Eid-ul-Azha in Sylhet division. There is enough local supply for it. And so, there is no need to import cattle from India,” he added.
Meanwhile, fodders including straw, grass, rice chaff and jackfruit leaves, mango leaves etc are being sold in large quantities near cattle markets in Sylhet city.
Our Thakurgaon Correspondent reports: The prices of sacrificial animals in the cattle markets of Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts are much lower than the last year's as supply of local animals is more than the demand while Indian cattle are coming through different border areas, cattle traders and farmers said.
Usually the sale of sacrificial animals begin about two weeks before the Eid in the districts but this year sale in the cattle markets is yet to get momentum although the festival is only a couple of days away.
Md Babul, 50, a cattle farmer of Sahapara village in Boda upazila of Panchagarh, said, “I brought two mid-sized cows (80/85 kg each) for sale in Boda haat. But buyers are offering only Tk 35,000 to Tk 36,000 for the two cows. Last year I sold two cows of similar sizes for Tk 88,000.”
Abdus Salam, a cattle broker at Panchagarh Bazar, said 30 to 40 per cent of the cattle there were brought from India.
Thakurgaon District Livestock Officer (DLO) Md Rafiqul Islam said around 16,500 families reared about 33,033 cows, 10,725 goats, 249 buffaloes and 1,876 sheep under the cattle fattening programme centring the Eid-ul-Azha.
About 34,000 to 35,000 sacrificial cattle are needed during Eid-ul-Azha in the district, he added.
Panchagarh DLO Dr Debashish Das told this correspondent over cell phone that around 6,177 families reared about 24,192 cows, 10,308 goats, 158 buffaloes and 1,298 sheep under the cattle fattening programme in the district where about 30,000 to 32,000 cattle are needed during Eid-ul-Azha.
Our Lalmonirhat Correspondent reports: Prices of cattle have fallen in the district as a large number of farmers are bringing the animals for sale due to fodder crisis.
“We have to sell cattle for low prices as fodders like grasses and hays were damaged by floodwater,” said flood affected farmer Nazu Miah, 50, at Dharla river basin Bongram village in Lalmonirhat Sadar.
“I prepared four cattle with hope to sell them for Tk 2 lakh. But I sold two of them for only Tk 78 thousand. There is huge supply of cattle but not many buyers in the markets,” he said.
“I had 19 cattle and of them four were washed away by floodwater. I sold 10 cattle at low rate due to acute crisis of fodder in our flood affected village,” said flood hit farmer Jitish Chandra Sen, 63, at Dharla river char Falimari in Lalmonirhat Sadar.
Cattle trader Hazrat Ali, 48, at Durakuti Hat said cattle prices fell in all the 15 cattle markets in the district this year as all flood affected farmers are taking their cattle for sale.
A Correspondent reports from Bagerhat: The cattle farmers in the district are expecting good profit by selling sacrificial animals before the Eid-ul-Fitr as the local markets see relatively less Indian cattle this year.
The farmers of 5,500 of farms in nine upazilas of Bagerhat have prepared 35 thousand cows and 15 thousand goats for sale in the local market, completing the process of fattening the animals for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, said Dr Saifuzzaman Khan, District Livestock Officer, Bagerhat.
Even if the Indian cows do not come, some of these animals can be sold in the outside market after fulfilling the local demand, he said.
“I have currently 45 cows in my farm. Cows are being brought up with domestic food. Hopefully, we will get good prices in the Eid-ul-Azha market,” said Badiuzzaman Khokon, owner of a cattle farm in Kachua upazila.
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