Sale of sacrificial animals: Fear of loss weighs heavily on cattle farmers
Cattle farmers, particularly those from flood-hit areas, are in fear of incurring losses from the sale of sacrificial animals ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha due to flooding, rising prices of cattle feed and a lower number of customers.
High prices of cattle feed and the current flooding in different parts of the country has led to the rise in rearing costs of sacrificial animals this year.
Cattle farmers in flood-hit areas are the worst sufferers as many animals reared targeting the Eid have died. Also, many others were forced to sell their cattle as they could not feed the animals due to crops being damaged by floods.
The flood-hit farmers are also not getting suitable dry places to keep their cattle.
Visiting the Gabtoli cattle market in the capital yesterday, this newspaper found that the number of bulls was about 20 percent lower than in the same time last year.
Mohammad Nasir Uddin has brought 144 bulls from Meherpur to Gabtoli market about 20 days back. He said the sale was less this year as many farmers from around the capital were not purchasing bulls like they did last year due to flooding.
Mosharraf Hossain, another cattle trader, said around 30 percent fewerbulls were brought to the cattle market from Meherpur this year as many farmers did not rear cattle due to high prices of feed.
Each sack of cattle fodder was selling for Tk 1,800 to Tk 1,900, up from Tk 1,200 last year, said Md Shipu, a trader at Gabtoli.
Also, the cost of carrying animals to the capital from different districts by trucks has increased by Tk 6,000 to Tk 7,000 each journeycompared to last year, he said.
Md Ashfaqur Rahman of the capital's Dhanmondi has purchased a bull for Tk 1.60 lakh. He said the price of bulls is reasonable this year considering the rise in meat prices.
Each kilogramme of meat now sells for Tk 650 to Tk 700 at the capital's kitchen markets, up from about Tk 550 last year.
FLOODS AFFECTING CATTLE FARMERS
Sadek Mia, a seasonal cattle farmer in Hakaluki Haor of Moulvibazar, said his family earns a living from raising cattle, but two out of their six cattle died on June 20 amid flooding, three days after floodwater entered their home.
"I am feeling completely at a loss. I wanted to sell cattle before the Eid to earn some money for marrying off my eldest daughter, but all hopes are gone now," lamented Sadek.
Many farmers have taken their cattle to roads, bridges and near cattle markets due to floods.
According to data of the Sylhet divisional livestock office, at least 1,330 livestock and poultry farms have been affected by floods, causing a loss of about Tk 50 crore to farmers.
In Kurigram and Lalmonirhat, huge quantities of cattle fodder have been damaged due to deluge. Farmers in the two districts are being forced to sell cows and goats at cheap prices due to an acute shortage of fodder.
Nabir Hossain, 64, a farmer from Char Airmari in Kurigram Sadar upazila, said he incurred a loss of Tk 20,000 from the sale of his two bulls on Tuesday.
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