After incurring the loss during Coronavirus pandemic of last three-year, cattle farmers in Rajshahi are expecting to earn a satisfactory profit during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha this year.
It is learnt that the cattle sheds in Rajshahi are now holding nearly 400,000 bulls, buffaloes, goats and sheep and the stock is expected to be surplus than the demand in the district. The cattle farmers, however, are expecting to earn sufficient profit by selling those but they are also apprehending a loss due to a skyrocketing price of fodder.
According to the Department of Livestock, Rajshahi, last year, local farmers reared some 382,000 animals for sacrificial purpose out of which some 309,000 animals were sold before the Eid-ul-Azha. As a result, some 73,000 livestock remained unsold during the last year.
Sources further informed some 106,666 bulls were reared as sacrificial animals during last year out of which 43,812 remained unsold. The same year 3,956 buffaloes were reared of which only 315 were sold. Among 243,000 reared goats, 226,000 were sold and 20,663 sheep were sacrificed last year from some 35,000 herds. With last year's unsold sacrificial animals, there are likely to be 10,000 surplus sacrificial animals than the total demand in the district this year.
The bargaining and selling of sacrificial animals in the local cattle markets are likely to be geared up from the last week of June. There having no panic and restrictions of Corona pandemic, huge sales at the sacrificial animals are expected in the local markets this year. The cattle farm owners are expecting a satisfactory price of their stocks as well. However, most of the cattle farm owners have expressed their worry of getting a satisfactory price of their stocks. They said, they are purchasing the fodder at an exorbitant price.
Due to a sky-rocketing price of all essential commodities including foods, condition of the middle income and the low-income group of people is extremely vulnerable.
They are scuttling to manage sufficient money to purchase a sacrificial animal during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. That is why it is unlikely to earn a considerable profit by selling the reared animals this year. According to sources of DLS, Rajshahi, 16,079 farm owners are rearing 121,372 bulls, 233,235 goats, 38,245 sheep and 3,211 buffaloes totaling 392,852 animals for sacrificial purposes in Rajshahi district this year. The estimated demand of the sacrificial animals this year is 382,118. As a result, some 10,000 sacrificial animals are likely to be surplus in the district this year.
Sumon of Sopura Agro farm in Rajshahi informed he has so far invested Tk 20 million in rearing 110 cattle (85 bulls and 35 buffaloes).
Last year, the average monthly expenditure for rearing the animals and paying the wages of the labourers was Tk five to six lakh but due to increase of the price of fodder, this year the cost has increased to Tk 10 lakh per month. He further mentioned, he incurred loss during the last two-year due to Coronavirus but this year is also apprehending a loss due to exorbitant price of fodder and all essential commodities.
Arafat Rubel of Saodagar Agro in Rajshahi informed, earlier a bull can be reared by spending Tk 3,000 per month but due to excessive price of fodder and other materials, now it takes more than Tk 7,000 per month to rear the same. As a result, they are expecting a high price of sacrificial animals this year but people are lagging in purchasing capacity due to abnormal increase in all essential commodities. That is why they are afraid to sell their stocks at a satisfactory price this year as well.
Setabur Rahman, a farm owner of Matikata village under Godagari upazila informed, he is worried about getting a fair price of his cattle heads. He added, if Indian cattle heads arrive before the Eid, the local cattle farmers would incur a huge loss.
Dr Zulfiqur Akhter, District Livestock officer informed, there is no Corona this year but the cost of rearing cattle heads has been increased that is why the price of sacrificial cattle heads is likely to increase. He also said there is no shortage of sacrificial animals in Rajshahi this year.
