Many cattle being sold before Eid due to high production cost

‘I am decided to sell all my cattles as the production costs are skyrocketed,’ a farmer from Dhanpur area in Kishoreganj Mahfuzur Rahman said.

Thousands of farmers like Mahfuzur Rahman and ranchers are facing a food crisis for their livestock as they have been unable to harvest paddy on time, straw has become wet, and fields are waterlogged.

As a result, many are forced to sell their cows and goats. Many believe this may have an impact on the livestock market for the upcoming Eid.

Veterinary expert Dr. Md. Jalal Uddin said that without modern hay preservation systems at the union level, alternative fodder production, and disaster relief support needed.

“This crisis could become more severe in the long term. The hay shortage will also increase the prices of various fodders, including husk and chaff, in the haor market.

“Due to heavy rains and flooding, not only the Boro crop has been affected, but also cow fodder has been in crisis in the haor region of the country.”

The District Livestock Officer (DLO) of Kishoreganj, Dr. Md. Abdul Mannan, told The New Nation, “just as paddy has been damaged due to heavy rains in the haor, there is a temporary shortage of cattle fodder due to rotting straw. This matter has been reported to higher authorities.”

Several farmers said that due to the shortage of cow feed and its high cost, cow fattening is being hampered. Cows are being sold before time. This may not only reduce meat production but also increase the price of sacrificial animals in the market.

Agriculture experts say that the haor region is not only a source of food for people but also a major source of fodder for cattle. Farmers depend on the straw from the Boro season for a large part of the year. As a result, flooding of paddy fields this time has directly affected cow fodder.

Just as rice has been destroyed by water in the haor, straw has also rotted due to continuous rain. Farmers are unable to provide sufficient fodder to their cattle due to the shortage of straw. This has created fears of poor health and weight loss among livestock. If this situation continues, experts believe the supply of animals in the sacrificial market may decrease.

Visiting various areas of Itna, Mithamoin, Ashtagram, Nikli, Karimganj, and Tarail upazilas of Kishoreganj, it was seen that many farmers could not store straw due to a lack of drying space. In some places, straw has rotted in water and turned black.

In addition, there is currently no green grass in the haor due to flooding. Farmers are somehow keeping their animals alive by feeding them a small amount of food. Many are selling their cows due to the shortage of straw.

In many families in the haor region, women take care of cattle. But they too are now struggling due to the shortage of fodder.

Rashida Begum, a housewife from Baribari village in Itna, said, ‘I used to have two cows and sell their milk to support my family. Now, due to the lack of food, milk production has also decreased. If I buy fodder from the market, I will incur losses instead of profit.’

A visit to the local market showed that not only straw, but also husk and chaff prices have increased.
Local traders say that since most hay in the haor has rotted, they have to bring supplies from outside districts. This has increased transportation costs and affected market prices.

Many small farmers have not been able to fatten their cattle for Qurbani this time. Some are selling their cattle in advance. This could reduce the supply of animals in the local market during Eid-ul-Adha.

Nabi Hossain, a cattle trader in Ashtagram, said that cattle prices may increase as feed costs rise. Small farmers are under more pressure now. “We have started buying cattle from haor areas,” he added.

However, farmers complain that they have not yet received any visible assistance. They have demanded emergency fodder support, hay storage facilities, and low-cost animal feed supply at the union level.

It is learned that boro has been cultivated on 168,000 hectares of land in Kishoreganj district this season. Crops on about 13,500 hectares have already been damaged due to heavy rain and flooding. About 55,000 farmers have suffered losses. Farmers fear this will also have a major impact on the livestock sector.

According to the District Livestock Office, the demand this time in Kishoreganj is 152,000, while the production target is 193,000. Production is 39,000 more than demand.

However, he added that it will not have a significant impact on the sacrificial market, as many people in the haor area are currently selling their cattle and goats due to fodder shortages and may not get the expected price.