Covid trail turns harmful to cattle farmers

Covid-19 restriction was relaxed before the Eid-ul-Azha to help cattle farmers sell their herd at sacrificial animal markets and live on such income throughout the year. But they stand out as the worst losers this time. Many of them sold animals incurring loss and others in city cattle markets took back part of their stock to avoid bigger losses. Similar situations have also been reported from the countryside. Traders were devastated, failing to get fair prices for the cattle. A media report quoted a farmer who brought 16 bulls to the market to state that he faced a loss of Tk 3 lakh selling 11 bulls below the purchase price and cost of fodders. So he was taking back the remaining bulls. He said he would lose Tk 10 thousand for each by not selling but would have lost Tk 40 to 50 thousand for each if he sold those at the prevailing prices.
We understand one of the reasons for lower prices of cattle was that most people avoided making ‘kurbani’ this year for income loss and the market also saw lower turn out of buyers amid the spread of coronavirus. In fact such situations were feared from the beginning – either cattle supply would be lower or buyers’ presence would be lower. It happened to add to the perils of traders. Here none but the unusual situation is to be blamed as the market remained uncertain from the beginning. Buyers were happy at the end. We would suggest that the government should offer a specially targeted low interest loan package and other support to cattle farmers so that they can overcome this year’s loss. We need it, because if domestic cattle farmers who made the country self-sufficient in livestock production may lose enthusiasm in the trade and Indian cattle would fill the market again to undermine the local cattle breeding industry.
Another disappointing development was that local traders bought goat skin at 30-40 a piece at many places but were forced to sell those at 10-15 to tanners’ agents. Similarly rawhide agents offered Tk 400-500 for a piece of rawhide which as per government fixed price should have fetched Tk 1200 to 2000 each. We apprehended the repeat of last year’s situation despite assurance by tanners to pay fair prices. We are afraid big capital is destroying the primary rawhide market particularly depriving charitable beneficiaries at grass roots level. The rawhide market needs to be saved.