Sirajul Islam Shishir:

Around 6.24 lakh sacrificial animals have remained ready in Sirajganj district centering the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, one of the largest religious festivals of the Muslims.

According to sources, cattle traders from different parts of the country including Dhaka, Gazipur,Tangail and Chattogram have started visiting to several areas in Sirajganj district especially in Shahzadpur, which is famous for dairy farms.

Sirajganj is known as milk and livestock resources district. Targeting the Eid-ul-Azha, a large number of sacrificial animals including cattle and goats have been prepared in Shahzadpur, Ullapara, Sadar, Tarash, Kamarkanda and other upazilas of the district. Besides, cows and goats are grown up in farms and at individual level.

According to the Sirajganj District Livestock Office (DLO), “This year, a total of 6,24,000 sacrificial animals may be slaughtered. But the number was 6,12,000 last year. Among the sacrificial animals, 1, 73,110 are cows, 3, 38,235 goats, 60,580 sheep, 3,681 buffaloes and 55,605 other sorts of animals. The number of cattle farmers has also increased in the current year. They are now counting days with the hope of earning good profit during the Eid-ul-Azha.

However, due to surplus supply and high prices of medicines and fodder, many farmers are suspicious about getting the expected prices. On the contrary, if the prices of sacrificial animals spike excessively that may impact middle-class buyers negatively. Amid all the concerns, this year, the farmers, traders and customers are expecting to control the market from any kind of breach or untoward incident.

Farm owners are expecting to get good prices by selling their various varieties of cattle including Australian Friesian, American Brahma Cross and Indian Shahiwal, which were reared with natural feed in the district. In addition to small and large farms, many people fatten cows 4 to 6 months before the Eid festival.

Farmers said the cost of animal rearing has increased several times due to the increase in the price of fodder and the wages of workers. This is why, the prices of sacrificial animals may be higher compared to the last year.

Md Rafiqul Islam, owner of Khan Agro farms at Ranigarm area in Sirajganj town said, “I have fattened 50 bulls with natural process. I hope to sell each of those cattle between Tk 1.5 lakh and Tk 5 lakh. Wholesalers have started to come from different areas. This year, the prices of animal would be a bit higher due to soaring prices of fodder.

Mafizul Islam, a farmer from Ambariya village of Tarash upazila, said that, “I have started my farm in 2023 with four cattle. At present, the number of sacrificial animal at my farm has reached to seven.

Abdus Salam owner of Shorov Agro Farms in Shazadpur upazila said, this year he has reared 30 bulls. He has fattened the cattle for about a year. As his rearing cost has increased due to higher fodder prices, he is expecting to sell each of the cattle at Tk 1.5 to Tk 4 lakh.

District Livestock Officer (DLO) of Sirajganj Dr Omar Faruq told the Daily Sky that, “We are carrying campaign against harmful medicine used in the body of cattle with a view to fatten them in a short time. We are trying to ensure that no one uses harmful chemicals at their farms and individual level in Sirajganj. We are offering all sorts of advice to the farmers to protect their animals from heatstroke in this summer.”

“Local farmers will benefit if the demand for domestic cows remains high in the market,” he added.

He further said, after meeting the local demand, additional animals would be sent to other parts of the country for selling.