BDFA’s pledge to cut beef price by Tk50 per kg not implemented

UNB  :
President of Bangladesh Dairy Farmers Association (BDFA) Imran Hossain announced in a workshop organized by the Directorate of Consumer Rights Protection at the National Press Club on Sunday that the price of beef will be lowered by Tk 50 per kg from Monday.

But the pledge remains unmet as beef was being sold at Tk750 per kg as before on Monday.

Visiting butchers in Karwan Bazaar of the capital on Monday, the UNB correspondent learned that beef is being sold at the same price for two weeks.

Sellers said that the price of beef in the market was a little higher after Eid. At that time beef was sold at Tk780 to Tk 800 per kg. Then it decreased a bit.

There are also no plans or instructions to reduce the price in line with the BDFA president’s announcement, they said.

But the BDFA said it is possible to sell the meat at Tk 500 to Tk 550 per kg if the government provides some policy support, including reducing the lease rate of cattle markets and setting up farmers’ markets.

Imran Hossain, president of the association, said “We want to bring the price of beef within the reach of consumers. As part of the effort, growers will sell beef at Tk 50 lower rate.”
The BDFA has 17,000 members.

He said milk, meat and other products produced at the farm level change three to four hands before they reach end-consumers.

“But if the products reach consumers directly from farmers, it will be possible to remove two to three middlemen. That will reduce prices further.”

Hossain urged the government to lease out uncultivated khas land in the rural areas to farmers since there is a scarcity of land needed to grow grass.

AHM Shafiquzzaman, director-general of the Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection, said the price of beef is around Tk 800 per kg, which is beyond the purchasing power of many people.

“For this, all stakeholders, including cattle producers, should come forward,” he said, suggesting the Department of Livestock Services take steps to keep the prices of beef within the buying capacity of consumers.

He said farmers are giving priority to milk production while meat comes second.

“But we should strike a balance between milk and meat production.”