Home ›› 28 Aug 2022 ›› Nation
The demand for water hyacinth has increased among the marginal people in Rangpur region as an alternative cattle feed.
Local sources said cattle rearing has almost become impossible for the marginal farmers due to the increased price of the feed. Meadows and fodder stands in the rural areas of the northern districts have been damaged in frequent floods.
Failing to buy cattle feed and fodder, the marginal farmers in the rural areas of the districts have chosen water hyacinth as an alternative feed for their domestic cattle. Many of them were compelled to sell their cattle amid the crisis.
An official of the divisional livestock department, Badiuzzaman Ahamed, said around 139,000 domestic cattle and poultry have been affected by floods in five districts of the region.
Of them, some 65,796 are cattle and 73,204 are poultry, which are suffering acute fodder and food crisis as the fodder stands and meadows in the villages went under water during the floods.
The marginal farmers and the people living in char areas have become the worst sufferers.
Senior Coordinator of Agriculture and Environment, RDRS Bangladesh, Mamunur Rashid said water hyacinths grow naturally in ponds and several water bodies and the green part of the plant can be used as cattle feed on a small scale.
A spot visit at Rajaharhat upazila market in Kurigram district found that a bunch of hundred fodders is being sold at Tk 1,100-1,200. A few farmers are buying fodder according to their ability.
According to the market sources, wheat stout was sold at Tk 31-32 per kg and thin quality at Tk 32-33 six months back while the price of the feed ranges between Tk 55-60 at present.
A 50kg sack of soybean cake was sold at Tk 1,800 a few months back while it is being sold at Tk 3,100-3,200 now. The prices of maize powder and rice polish have also increased. A 30kg sack of mixed feed is being sold at Tk 1,400 against the previous price of Tk 900.
Abul Miah, 58, of Garialdanga village of the upazila said fodder plants on his homestead were damaged as they went under flood water.
He had to go to the market to buy fodder. A bunch of fodder was being sold at Tk 11-12 while it was Tk 7-8 earlier. It became almost impossible for him to buy fodder at increased prices.
He usually buys 100 bunches of fodder for his two cows every market day. But this time he bought only 50 bunches of fodder.
A farmer, Mozzammel Miah, 50, of Botla village of the upazila said he had three domestic cows. Of them, he sold one. Flooding has damaged cropland and fodder plants.
He faces difficulties in supporting his family members amid the price spiral situation, let alone feeding the domestic cattle. He collects water hyacinths every day from a nearby water body to feed his cows.
A farm worker, Nirmol Ray, of Biddanando village of the upazila said, “We live from hand to mouth. We do not have the ability to buy fodder for our domestic cattle. It became very tough for me to save cattle.”
He collects water hyacinths regularly from village ponds, beels, and water bodies to feed the cattle.
A fodder trader, Jaman Miah, 58, of Charjattrapur area of Kurigram Sadar upazila at Dharla bridge point fodder market said fodder price has increased much.
“The price of fodder has increased in the local markets due to low supply. A bunch of fodder is being sold at Tk 11-12 while it was Tk 8 earlier.”
The marginal farmers and the people living in char areas have become the worst sufferers. Farmers almost failed to dry the fodder during the Irri-Boro season this year due to early flooding. The cultivated grass on farmers’ lands has also been damaged.
Later, repeated floods damaged vast tracts of meadows in the rural fields. Farmers need to cultivate different types of grass to avoid dependency on fodder to feed their cattle.
When asked about water hyacinths, Kurigram Sadar upazila Livestock Officer Mahafuzar Rahman said they can be used as seasonal feed but it needs to be blended with straw before feeding the cattle.
