Sheep rearing in four upazilas of the district is gaining popularity as it has become profitable business among the framers.
Sources said many youths and marginal farmers changed their fortune through rearing the sheep for the last few years.
Live Stock Department sources said a total of 128 registered sheep farms are rearing sheep in the district now.
Of them 53 farms have been set up in Sadar,18 farms in Alamdanga, 35 in Damurhuda and 22 farms in Jibannagar upazilas.
Besides, many small farmers are also rearing sheep in a small scale at their homesteads. Sheep farmers are rearing local variety sheep as it has already proved more profitable than rearing goat, cow, and duck.
Joynal Hossain, a sheep owner of Belgachi village under Sadar upazila, said: “I had started rearing sheep with only five pairs, spending Tk 45,000 in 2011 and got Tk 40,000 as net profit. Since then I have been rearing sheep and gaining handsome profit for the last four years. Now I am solvent, and have 25 pairs of sheep in my farm.”
Another sheep farmer Azim Ali of Gaidghat village under the upazila said: “I have been bringing up sheep with my own efforts and have 15 pairs of sheep and earn a net profit of Tk12,000 to Tk15,000 per month, selling those in the local markets after meeting all the expenditure.
Live Stock Officer Dr Shamol Pal said they were providing training to the ship rearers and giving all types of support.
