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Farmers, traders worried as sale of sacrificial animals still low

Locally produced cattle sufficient to meet this year's demand, say livestock officials
Star Country desk
Unlike other years, cattle markets in different districts including Pabna, Sirajganj, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh are yet to see sufficient sale of sacrificial animals although the Eid-ul-Azha is only a few days away.
Our Pabna Correspondent reports: The markets in Pabna and Sirajganj see adequate supply of sacrificial animals, but the prices offered by the buyers are still much below the expectation of cattle farmers and traders.
"I bought three fattened cows, each weighing above five maunds, with target to sell each for at least Tk 1.10 lakh, which would bring me a minimum profit but none offered more than Tk one lakh. Most of the buyers in the market want small and medium-sized cattle,” said cattle trader Abdul Mazid, who came from Dogasi village in Pabna Sadar upazila to Hazirhaat, a big cattle market, on Friday.
Abul Kashem of Baoikola village in Pabna’s Atghoria upazila came with his five cows, weighing 5.5 maunds to 6 maunds, with hope to sell each for Tk 1.25 lakh to Tk 1.5 lakh but he did not get the expected price.
"Due to the soaring price of cattle feed, now we have to spend more for making a cow healthy. I have to spend Tk 1.2 lakh to Tk 1.3 lakh for making each cow ready for market," Kashem said.
A large cow weighing 42 maunds has remained unsold at the house of farmer Minarul Islam of Dathia village in Pabna's Chatmohar upazila.
"1 bought the cow for Tk 6 lakh a couple of years ago and named it Tiger. I spent at least Tk 15 lakh for making it ready for sale as a sacrificial animal. I expected to get Tk 30 lakh for it but so far I have got the highest offer of Tk 18 lakh," Minarul said.
Meanwhile, the demand of medium and small sized cattle sees a rise ahead of Eid.
"I have already sold 10 medium-sized cattle forTk 40 thousand to 60 thousand each, and expect to sell more 20 to 25 cows in next 10 days," said Md Intaz Ali, a cattle trader of Baoikola village of Pabna's Atghoria upazila.
Talking with this correspondent, livestock officials in Pabna and Sirajganj said the two districts are expected to supply around 10 percent of the country's total demand of approximately 1.2 crore animals during the Eid-ul-Azha this year.
There are adequate supply of local variety of cows and the overall production is more than enough, they said.
"In Sirajganj, 4.19 lakh sacrificial animals, including 1.02 lakh fattened ones, have been prepared ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha," said Akhtaruzzaman Bhuiya, livestock officer of Sirajganj.
In Pabna, more than five lakh sacrificial animals, of them 88,500 fattened cattle, have been prepared, said Al Mamun, Pabna district's livestock officer.
If the Indian cattle do not come to the local markets, cattle farmers and traders will get profit this year, he said.
Our Thakurgaon correspondent reports: Cattle markets in Thakurgaon
and Panchagarh districts are yet to witness sufficient sale of the sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
During a visit to different cattle markets in the two districts on Saturday and Sunday, this correspondent talked to a number of stakeholders.
Buying and selling at the cattle markets are yet to start in full swing as traders from other districts are absent this time while the local buyers consider the prices a bit high, said Md Zaman, lessee of Matherganj cattle market in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila.
"Cattle traders who usually visit different markets of the district might prefer to go to flood-affected areas as
the cattle farmers of those areas are compelled to sell their animals for lower prices due to fodder crisis and other problems, Zaman said.
Prices will drop in the next few days if the outside traders do not come as there are a large number of animals ready for sale for sacrificial purpose in the district, said Kosirul Islam, a cattle trader in Fakirganj cattle market in Atwary upazila of Panchagarh.
Osman, a cattle trader in Boda upazila of Panchagarh, said he bought two medium-sized bulls for Tk 82,000 about a month ago, but has not been able to sell them yet.
Cattle farmer Md Islam said, "I reared a
bull for one year which has now grown to a medium-sized (about 85 kg) one. I expected to sell it for Ik 45,000 to Tk 50,000 but buyers are offering around Tk 40,000."
"In Thakurgaon district, 52,309 families and farm owners raised 58,148 cows, 25,536 goats and sheep and 266 buffaloes under the cattle fattening programme targeting Eid-ul-Azha. About 77,000 cattle are needed during Eid-ul-Azha in the district," said Md Abdur Rahim, acting livestock officer of the district.
In Panchagarh, 10,242 families and farm owners reared 48,307 cows, 11 buffaloes and 17,756 goats under the cattle fattening programme centring Eid-ul-Azha, district's livestock officials said.