Cattle markets have been witnessing a record supply of sacrificial animals causing lower price in the northern districts following huge boost in the local animal husbandry sector in recent years.
The lower price of sacrificial animals has caused frustration to both the farmers and cattle traders in the region even only three days ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Azha festivity in Rangpur.
The traders and farmers expressed fear of incurring losses this time due to the high supply of both imported and locally reared bullocks, calves, cows and buffaloes, reports BSS.
According to livestock experts and NGO executives, local animal husbandry sector has marked a revolutionary boost in recent years following massive steps taken by the government and different NGOs under various poverty alleviation programmes.
The poor and distressed people including women have achieved tremendous successes in the sector getting various assistances from the government, development partners and donor agency-assisted NGOs, they said.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh, Mamunur Rashid, and livestock expert Dr Rowshanuzzman, said animal husbandry sector has marked a boost bringing fortune to hundreds of extremely poor living in char areas in 10 northwestern riverine districts.
With the assistances of the Shoal Livelihoods Programme through different NGOs, over 1,00,000 poor families living in the areas of these districts have achieved the success to overcome poverty since 2004.
According to sources in the bigger cattle markets, the animal traders have been sending hundreds of cattle heads to the capital city and other parts of the country to avoid bigger losses as supply continues rising every day in the northern markets.
Animal traders Aftab Hossain, Mahbub Rahman and Mohibul Haque said they failed to sell their cattle heads even at the procuring price so far and decided to send their cattle heads to the capital city today though very little time is left before the Eid festivity.
On the other hand, the buyers are relaxed for the prevailing affordable price while the small-scale animal rearers and farmers are becoming more frustrated following lower price of sacrificial cattle heads with no hope for a better price in the coming days.
According to market sources, an extra-large bull is now being sold at rates between Tk45,000 to Tk60,000 against last year’s rate of Tk55,000 to Tk70,000 and large one at Tk40,000 to Tk 44,000 against last year’s rate of Tk50,000 to Tk 60,000.
A medium-size bull is selling at Tk25,000 to Tk35,000 against last year’s average rate of Tk28,000 to Tk40,000, while small one is being sold at Tk18,000 to Tk25,000 with possibilities of further price reduction before the Eid-ul-Azha festivity.
However, goats are being sold at better prices this time and a big goat is now being sold at Tk15,000 to Tk20,000, medium- size at Tk10,000 to Tk13,000 while a small one is being sold at Tk4,500 to Tk7,500 at different markets in the northern districts.
With only three days left for the Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival for the Muslims, cattle markets in Rajshahi and nine upazilas of the district have gained momentum with numerous buyers and hundreds of sacrificial animals, reports UNB.
A huge number of sacrificial animals are being brought for sale at different cattle markets in the district like City haat, Naohata haat, Baneswar haat, Keshor haat, Kanthakhali haat,Rajabari haat, Kakonhat, Mohisalbari haat and Machmoil haat.
Traders said there were plenty of supplies of cattle in the markets and their prices were similar to the last Eid-ul-Azha.
The price of an ideal sized cow or buffalo starts from Tk30,000 to Tk60,000 and a sheep or goat can be purchased from Tk7,000 to Tk12,000.
In addition to the city’s biggest cattle market- City haat,some temporary markets have been set up at Court Bazar, Shaheb Bazar Zero point, Railway Station, Naodapara Aam Chattar and Kazla.
Besides the local buyers, the wholesale cattle traders especially from Chittagong and Dhaka are still purchasing heads of cattle from those haats and sending those to various places in the country for sale.
This year, the demand for domestic animals for sacrificial purposes has been seemingly increased as the wholesalers are sending large animal consignments to different big markets from Rajshahi.
Meanwhile, the import of cattle including cows and buffalos has increased. It was informed that the price of sacrificial animals was steady but the price may shoot up a bit because of the soaring price of animal food and transport cost this year.
‘This time a large number of cattle are coming from the neighboring India but the hike in fodder and transport fare might have an impact on the cattle price,’ said Abdul Jabbar, a cattle trader.
Local cattle farmers are facing huge challenges and heavy loss because of the smuggling of animals from India.
The farmers said because of high prices of fodder, many farm owners sold their cattle and opted for other trades as it was not possible for the farmers to gain profit in this business. Meanwhile, currency screening machines were installed in some of the cattle markets in the city and nine upazilas of the district with a view to resist the use of fake notes in the markets on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul- Azha.
Sarder Tamij Uddin, Acting Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, told BSS that the RMP had taken all necessary measures to ensure law and order in and around the cattle markets.
RMP installed temporary security camps at every cattle market in the city. Besides, petrol teams and plain-cloth police would also be deployed,’ added Tamij Uddin.
He said the RMP had taken measures so that the cattle markets are not set up on roads and streets disrupting the vehicular movement.
In order to ease traffic congestion in and around cattle markets in the city, we have launched traffic management, he mentioned.
Cattle markets in Barisal was getting momentum from yesterday afternoon and prices of sacrificial animals went 15-20 percent up this year. Extortion, high cost of transport, fodder blamed for this price hike, reports our correspondent.
Five cattle markets at Rupatali, Baghia, Port Road, Kalijira and Kawnia area approved by the Barisal City Corporation and at least 17 illegal cattle markets in different areas of the city started functioning. In the district 20 cattle markets including
Kosba, Boalia, Mohonganj, Kagashura, Guachitra areas also getting momentum.
Shamsuddin Ahmed, commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police, said they accelerated patrolling in both uniform and plain clothes in the entrance points and on the roads and highways to capture the extortionists and muggers. They also installed fake currency detection booths in legal cattle markets from Friday.
While visiting different legal and illegal cattle markets in the city and adjacent areas it was seen that supply of cattle, oxen and goats was good, but their selling and buying were yet to reach its peak this year.
