SIRAJGANJ, Oct 22: Fodder crisis has broken out in Shahzadpur and Ullahpara upazilas of the district where fodder is being sold at exorbitant prices.
On the other hand, the price of milk has not increased. As a result, local farmers are suffering loss. Many farmers are selling their cows to avoid the loss.
While talked, farmers said the fodder price increased before the last Eid-ul-Azha, and the increasing trend is on. The farmers of char areas are suffering much who are feeding their cattle herbs and hyacinths.
Sources said per maund of straw which was sold at Taka 300 earlier is now selling at Taka 500, while per bag (37 kilograms) of bran which was sold at Taka 850 is now selling at Taka 1,200, and per 74-kg molasses which was sold at Taka 2,500 is now selling at Taka 3,400. But, the price of milk is not increasing proportionately. So, they are incurring huge loss.
Shahzadpur Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Abdus Samad said farmers can't cope with the price hike of fodder as they are not getting fair price of milk.
Farmer Mohammad Ali Bepary of Potazia Village in the upazila said, "I sold per litre milk at Taka 32 to 36 two years back. The price has remained the same till now. But, the fodder price has increased to Taka 10 to 25 in per kg."
He also said, "I had 100 cows at my farm which I set up 15 years back. Due to price hike of fodder and price fall of milk, I have been facing setback in running the farm. So, I have already sold out 50 cows."
Farmer Mansur Hossen of Koijury in the upazila said, "We rear goat in char areas facing various troubles. The grazing lands are under water. Besides, the price of fodder has increased. On the other hand, the milk price is less. In this connection, I have sold out my five cows out of 10. If we could sell milk at Taka 45 per litre, we could somehow recover from loss. But the price is Taka 34 to 38 per litre."
Farmers said different companies buy milk from them which they sell after processing. They only rear cows for selling their milk to these companies. But, the companies are buying per litre milk at Taka 34 to 38 from them. If they can't sell per litre milk at Taka 45 to 46, they will incur loss.
Assistant General Manager of Pran Dairy Limited in Shahzadpur Upazila Md Sharif Uddin Tarafder said, they collect 30,000 litres of milk through 23 purchase centres in the district daily. They buy per litre milk at Taka 36 to 42.
District Livestock Department office sources said there are about 8.5 lakh cows in the district, and of those, 60 per cent are in Shahzadpur and Ullahpara upazilas.
