Home ›› 01 Aug 2022 ›› Editorial
Manzoor Elahi buys a kilo of beef every week for his two teenage sons. He said, “Beef is a very beneficial food for children. The amount of nutritional content it contains plays an important role in their physical structural growth and development. Doctors abroad even tell cancer patients to eat 'grass-fed beef soup' for building up their physical strength while undergoing chemotherapy."
Manzoor Elahi is right, according to the doctors. They say that consuming small amounts of grass-fed and nutrient-dense beef is good for our bodies. People of this country especially like beef because it is very tasty and provides much needed protein sustenance for the people. But with the way the prices are skyrocketing, this meat is going beyond the reach of the common people.
In March this year, the price of beef was Tk 600 per kg. In May it becomes 700-750 and before Eid ul Adha it increased to 850-1000 taka. Per kg beef costs 350 Pakistani Rupees in Karachi. In Kolkata, the price is 200-230 Rupees per kg. The price of beef in the international market is $5-5.50 per kg, much lower than Bangladesh. Although the price of beef is low in South Asia and the world market, why is it increasing day by day in Bangladesh?
At one point of time, a large number of cattle were imported from India and Myanmar through the border to this country. In 2014, the Narendra Modi government in India stopped importing cattle from Bangladesh after coming to power. Before 2014, the price of beef in the country was Tk 230-300 per kg. Since then the price of beef has been increasing. Besides, one of the reasons for the price increase is the high price of cattle feed in our country.
What do cows usually eat and where do these come from? Although the main diet of cows is rice, grass and hay, now cows are fed special types of food. These include corn, mustard and other oils, which are nutritious. Most of these foods are imported from abroad. Those concerned say that the price of cattle feed is high because the cost of having them imported is very high. A survey showed that the price of a bag of cow meal weighing 37 kg has increased by Tk 300-400 in the last four months of this year. As a result, the price of meat has increased a lot.
Another important factor in this regard is that the electricity needed in cow farms is used on a commercial basis. This increases the cost of running the firm. In addition, there are not so many high-quality cows for meat here. Farmers say that the loan interest rates for cattle farms are too high. Cow diseases and other medical problems and deaths of cows and unregulated markets are also responsible for this.
India wants to export beef to Bangladesh even after stopping the export ban on cattle. This is quite ironic. Experts say that the country has benefited from India stopping the export of cattle to Bangladesh and the local livestock industry has thrived. According to a Department of Livestock Services (DSL) statistic, 522,000 commercial cattle farms were established and 3.7 million households got involved in the industry after 2014. 15 million people are directly involved in the sector and another 25 million people are associated in different ways. DSL claims to have even been able to meet the demand for meat in the country at that time. According to DSL statistics, the demand for beef in the country is 7.3 million tonnes per annum and the production is 7.6 million tonnes.
Where the country is capable of producing the necessary meat, there is no question of importing meat from abroad. But it is known from various media reports that some traders in the country are importing beef from abroad. If this is true, it will be very harmful for the country. Because where there is enough resources in the country, if we import it from outside, our industry will suffer. Acknowledging the fact of the matter, Bengal Meat says, not beef, but some buffalo meat is imported from India, although this meat is allegedly sold mixed with local buffalo meat. It is known that all these meats are sold in several beef shops in Dhaka city. Such vendors say that buyers complain about the imported meat saying that it does not taste good.
Whether it is cow or buffalo, there is no need to import red meat in the country. If done so this industry of our country will be threatened. Many farms will be closed. It is directly linked to our agriculture and rural economy. People in villages or remote areas or at the very grass root level keep cows at home in the hope of profit. Villages, grasslands, hilly areas, tea plantations are ideal for the rearing of cows. People belonging to certain Hindu castes keep cows and sell their milk to run their families and also keep cows extensively for selling purposes. They rear cows year after year and sell them at higher prices during Eid ul Azha or other times. They use the money from the sale for the development of the family or to spend on essential work. They can do this very easily. So their life and livelihood is related to cow rearing.
Just as the dairy industry is closely related to cow rearing, so is the leather industry of this country. Besides, cow bones, horns, veins, intestines, hides, etc. are exported to foreign countries, contributing to the national exchequer. So importing beef will harm many sub-sectors associated with the industry. Rather, it is possible to develop this industry even more. It is playing a role in solving unemployment problem. Educated youths have changed their economic status by setting up dairy farms or cattle farms. Many widows and unemployed youths are running their families by rearing cows.
A few days ago, in a seminar organized by Bangladesh Meat Trader’s Association (BMTA) and Dhaka North City Corporation, there was some interesting discussion about this. It says the government and rich people can donate cows to the helpless poor, widows and unemployed youth in the country. In addition to social security, they will benefit financially. Thus, cow rearing is playing a major role in changing our socio-economic status and will become more widespread in the future.
Anyone can understand that it is not right to import beef at this time. Rather we can meet our needs and export it abroad. In this case, we have to take proper initiatives. For example, cross-bred beef is of better quality. Cows are still reared in many places in our country in the traditional way. This should be improved. Awareness regarding vaccination and treatment of cows must be increased. The matter of cattle feed should be given importance.
Indiscriminate injection of hormones, antibiotics and steroids to cows is not right. Rapid fattening method should not be used. Cows should be fed nutritious food. Cows should be kept in the sun for two hours a day. As a result, their skin and body remains healthy and they are also more active this way. Also, the cows should be reared in such a way that it has good quality skin.
Most traders give importance to the import or export of any product for their profit. In this case, they always do not calculate the profit and loss of the overall country. So the government should be very attentive in this matter and take measures to discourage the import of beef. More attention needs to be given to the policy making of the government regarding the import or export of products which are in the interest of the country or which are harmful or hinder the development of any industry in the country. There are allegations that extra charges are taken in Gabtoli Cattle Market. It is necessary to judge its truth and work to stop it. Farmers need access to loans with easy terms and low interest.
According to the World Atlas of Beef Export 2016 report, Brazil, India, Australia, America and New Zealand exports beef worldwide. India is trying to top the list when it comes to cow export. For religious reasons the majority of Indians do not eat beef.
Red Chittagong, Pabna, North Bengal Gray and Mymensingh cow breeds are famous in our country. All these breeds’ beef is very tasty. So it is in demand abroad. Bengal Meat has been exporting small quantities of beef to Maldives, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE for several years. Many traders say that there is an opportunity to export this meat to meet the needs of the country. Those concerned say that it is possible to export meat abroad if the government provides adequate facilities in this regard. However, there is a need for proper monitoring by the Livestock Department across the country. Apart from commercial farms, those rearing cows at home need proper training. If all these things are done properly, it is possible to produce world class meat in Bangladesh and we can export this meat to different countries.
The writer is a freelance columnist. She can be contacted at shanu.mostafiz@gmail.com
