Shawdesh desk:

The Livestock Department of the district has taken initiative to sell sacrificial animal through online to help the marginal cattle farmers in different upazilas of the district who are in dire straits due to the deadly coronavirus ahead of Eid-Ul-Azha.

This year the cattle farmers are in trouble as the coronavirus has become an epidemic in the district. The marginal farmers are fearing that they may not get fair price of their cattle as the price of each cattle is decreasing day by day amid Covid-19 pandemic situation.

Officer of Khulna District Livestock S M Awal Haque said most of the sacrificial animals from different farms of the district have been kept ready for sale in the market. But due to the current situation of the country, the farmers are in a lot of danger.

“We are talking with other government departments to create an online or virtual cattle market to sell sacrificial animals”, he said.

He also said “In previous years, a farmer used to earn profit of Taka 25,000 to Taka 50,000 per cow. This time the profit might become much less than that”.

He however said, “We are taking preparation to sell sacrificial animals through online platform by next week”.

In previous years, 99 percent of the total demand for sacrificial animals in Khulna was met by the local farmers. This year, they are rearing cows, goats and sheep to meet the demand of the buyers. However, as the corona situation is worsening, it seems that 40 to 50 percent people will not buy sacrificial animals this year. As a result, farmers are less likely to sell their animals, he said.

According to the Khulna District Livestock Office, there are a total of 6,890 cattle farms in Khulna. The largest number of farms are in Terokhada, Dumuria and Batiaghata upazilas. There is a total of 45,148 cattle in these farms. Of these, 40,968 are cows and 4,180 are goats and sheep.

Farm owners said that the loss per cow should be multiplied by Taka 10 to 15 thousand compared to the cost of raising them. If this situation continues, many people will be forced to close their farms in a few days.

The largest cattle market in the region will be set up at Zoragate in the city under the management of KCC ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

Apart from this, others sacrificial cattle markets will set up at different upazilas of the district.

Talking to several farmers, it is learned that cows are being reared in different areas of the upazilas including Khulna metropolis on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. The Livestock Department is working to ensure a fair price cattle sell of the farmers.