RANGPUR, Oct 12, 2013 -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, market sources said.
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.
Talking to BSS at different bigger cattle markets, 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.
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, both in the mainland and char areas, 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 Chars Livelihoods Programme through different NGOs, over 1,00,000 poor families living in char areas of these districts have achieved the success to overcome poverty since 2004.
Hundreds of these people, mostly women, living in the remote char areas are expecting better profits through selling their locally reared sacrificial animals before the upcoming Eid-ul- Azha festivity, they said.
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 everyday 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 Taka 45,000 to 60,000 against last year’s rate of Taka 55,000 to Taka 70,000 and large one at Taka 40,000 to 44,000 against last year’s rate of Taka 50,000 to 60,000.
A medium-size bull is selling at Taka 25,000 to 35,000 against last year’s average rate of Taka 28,000 to 40,000, while small one is being sold at Taka 18,000 to 25,000 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 Taka 15,000 to 20,000, medium- size at Taka 10,000 to 13,000 while a small one is being sold at Taka 4,500 to 7,500 at different markets in the northern districts.
Source : BSS @eNewsDesk
