There will be no shortage of sacrificial animals in Chapainawabganj district this Eid-ul-Azha, and there will be a surplus of around 50,000 animals, authorities have said.
According to the Chapainawabganj unit of the Department of Livestock, the district has 1,76,690 animals, as 12,159 farmers in five upazilas are currently rearing sacrificial animals for Eid-ul-Azha 2023.
This year, the demand for sacrificial animals in the district is estimated to be 1,26,379, resulting in a surplus of 50,311 animals for the entire district.
These animals have been reared on farms and in homesteads. Of these animals, there are 96,543 cows, 70,319 goats, 9,587 sheep, and 241 buffaloes.
Farmers in the district reared animals, like they do every year, on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. They said that they do not use steroids to fatten up the animals.
According to the farmers, enough cattle farms have been developed in the country. If the government pays attention to this sector, there will be no need to import cows from India or Myanmar.
The price of cattle will be high as the cost of animal rearing has doubled compared to last year, they added.
Abu Bakkar, a farmer of the Ramchandrapur area of Sadar upazila, said every year he buys and rears cows 3 to 6 months before Eid-ul-Azha.
This year, he reared 80 cows on his farm worth Tk 150,000 to 450,000. "I never use steroids or injections to fatten cows," he said.
Concerns were voiced by Saidur Rahman, manager of Bashari Agro Farm in Sadar upazila's Bulanpur area, who said, "We are facing issues as the price of animal feed continues to rise. Additionally, cows coming from India could further affect the market."
"Currently, the sale of animals is not so good. But I hope the market will be favourable within a week. If the supply flow of Indian cows is checked, many traders will come from other districts to buy animals, and farmers will get good prices," he added.
Dr Mostafizur Rahman, an official from the Department of Livestock, said there is no possibility of a shortage of sacrificial animals in Chapainawabganj. Instead, additional animals will meet the needs of other districts.
Besides, special training and mobile courts are being conducted so that farmers do not resort to unscrupulous means of fattening cows. "Our field-level officers are working on this," the official said.
He also said that, at present, the arrival of animals from India has been completely stopped. It is expected that sales at the haat (markets) will increase and farmers will get a good profit, Dr Rahman added.
