Bhairab farmers worry over selling sacrificial cattle

With the Holy Eid-ul-Azha ahead in mind, numerous small and big farms are busy fattening cows in a domestic way this year at Bhairab in Kishoreganj. But farmers are worried about the sale of sacrificial cattle due to the resurgence of the pandemic and the start of the strict lockdown before Eid. In the municipal town of the district, Jagannathpur, Kamalpur, Chandiber, Kalipur, Shimulkandi, Aganagar, Gazaria, Sadekpur, Srinagar, Kalikaprasad and Shibpur UP in the upazila – 10,000 sacrificial cattle are being reared on 3,000 farms. These animals are being reared in a domestic way through straws, rice starch, khail, kura, bhusi and green raw grass.

Not only that, but marginal farmers are also busy fattening one, two or three sacrificial cattle at the marginal level. But last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many farmers suffered losses due to falling prices in the market. As a result, many animals remain unsold. Later, those farmers were forced to sell the remaining cattle to the butchers in the local market at a lower price. To overcome last year’s losses, this year too, cattle are being reared on a large scale. Then the coronavirus outbreak is increasing in the country again.

As a result, Bhairab is undergoing a strict lockdown like the rest of the country. And for this reason, hundreds of farmers here are worried about selling sacrificial cattle in the hats. Talking to Musa Mia, a marginal farmer of Gochamara village in Shimulkandi UP, said that he is rearing two bulls of native breed this year. “I thought I would be benefited a lot this year, but I am worried about whether the price will go down due to the coronavirus,” he added. Akhter Hossain, another farmer from the same village, said he has been rearing several cows this year to make up for last year’s losses. But he is frustrated that Covid-19 disease is on the rise again.

About this, the Upazila Animal Resources Officer Dr. Rafiqul Islam Khan said, although cattle rearing has decreased a little this year, about 3,000 small and big farms are rearing 10,000 sacrificial cattle. As a result, sacrificial cattle can be supplied to the surrounding districts and upazilas by meeting the local demand. Moreover, incentives were given to the farmers affected by the Covid-19 last year. This year, a list of affected farmers will be prepared and incentives will be provided for them.