Bagerhat buffalo Breeding, Development Farm yet to accept imported Indian buffalos
Prof. ABM. Mosharraf Husain, Bagerhat :
The only buffalo breeding and development farm of the county is situated in Fakirhat Upazila in Bagerhat district. In the month of February of the current calendar year some 32 buffalos were imported from India as the first consignment. After the delivery of the buffalos to the farm by the concerned contractor is yet to be accepted them by authorities of the farm during the last five months. It is learnt from more than one sources (of the farm) that the production of milk of the imported buffalos is not up to the mark as per the agreement of the tender.
It is learnt from a reliable source of the buffalo farm that under the buffalo development project (in 2nd phase) Live-stock department of the country issued an order to the contractor farm Jentek International Limited to purchase some 149 buffalos of ‘Murra’ spices from India. Under the project some 32 milk buffalos were imported as the first consignment and out them 29 have calves. According to the tender, on average 6 to 7.40 kgs milk should be collected from each of the buffalos. But practically each buffalo on average only 3 to 3,2 kgs milk is being collected. At present the imported buffalos are reaming in the shed No, 4 and 7 of the farm. The rest 127 buffalos will be brought to the farm by phases within the current financial year. But the authorities of the farm did not clear the reasons behind the non-acceptance of 32 imported buffalos. At present there are 372 buffalos including imported 32 in the buffalo breeding and development farm and some 190 to 200 litter’s milk is produced here every day.
Md. Ahsan Habib Pramanik, Assistant Director of the Buffalo Farm and the member-secretary of the Purchasing Committee of the same told, 32 buffalos imported from India in the month of February of the current calendar year are now living in the 2 sheds of the farm as per the agreement of the tender. He added, after the final decision taken by the analysis committee of the farm about the acceptance of the imported buffalos or not and then the next action will be taken. Dr. A B M Khalekuzzaman Director (Production) of the Live-stock Department of the country and Convener of the Buffalo Purchasing Committee of the Buffalo Farm told, the imported buffalos are physically and genetically fit as per the agreement of the tender. But they came to the farm after crossing a long path and arrived at the different environment. So, they are under our long observation. We are mainly observing the production of milk. He also added, the final decision about the imported Indian buffalos will be taken very soon. In this connection we tried our best to talk with the concerned contractor farm about the matter for the last few days; but in vain.
It may be mentioned here that the only Buffalo Breeding and Development Farm of the country was established on 95 acres of lands in the village Shyambagat under Fakirhat Upazila in Bagerhat district in the financial year of 1984-85 in order to breed, develop and rear up the native buffalos. The farm has been working for multiplying of buffalos of the country, making up the shortage of milk since its inception. The buffalos born in the farm have been distributed to the farmers in the different places of the country. There is an opportunity to purchase the buffalo-calves from here after paying the fixed price by the government.
