Farmers across around 15,000 farms are busy fattening sacrificial animals ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha in Brahmanbaria.
They said the rising cost of cattle feed has led to increased farm expenditures. Alongside this, they are expressing anxiety regarding the potential for cattle to be smuggled in through the border.
However, District Livestock Officer (DLO) Habibul Islam added that the animals produced within the district will be sufficient to meet the local demand for the festival.
The demand for sacrificial animals in the district is around 1,69,000, although there are 1,32,335 animals ready for sacrifice. Despite the numerical gap, farmers remain hopeful that locally produced livestock will meet the district’s needs.
Around 15,000 small and large-scale farmers are working day and night, employing natural methods to fatten animals of all sizes – small, medium, and large.
Farmers Tajul Islam and Sharif Mia said the hike in feed prices has significantly increased operational costs. The monthly expenditure per cow has risen by Tk7,000 to Tk8,000. They noted that the price of a maund of feed has increased from Tk1,250 to Tk1,320. The price of silage, previously Tk7.5 per kilogram, now costs between Tk8 and Tk9.
Farmers shared that they were struggling to bear these additional expenses. They expressed that they would suffer significant financial losses if sacrificial animals enter the market through illegal channels from neighbouring India.
DLO Habibul said various measures have been taken to prevent the use of harmful steroids in the animal fattening process.
