The government is promoting production of Brahma cow, of Indian origin developed in the US, in Bangladesh.
The government supplied calf and semen of the cattle variety worth Tk 100 crore to farmers in around 184 upazilas of 45 districts from 2008 to 2018.
Production of the cattle variety is not banned in Bangladesh as some people have been campaigning.
Although production of the cattle variety can ensure adequate supply of beef to meet the growing demand, its breeding has been limited by a section of government officials despite the recommendation of the Planning Ministry.
Beef costs Tk750 to Tk850 per kg and became unaffordable low income groups. Taking the advantage of the demand some businessmen are trying to import beef from different countries including India by convincing the Department of Livestock Services (DLS).
Asked, DLS Director General Dr Md Reazul Haque said Brahma variety production is not banned in Bangladesh.
But, import of the variety is strictly restricted in under the conditions of amended Artificial Breeding of Domestic Cattle in Private Sector Policy, 2016.
Replying to a question, he said, if cows are bred with the semen of Brahma bull, crossed-bred cows give less milk. As a result, the government had given up the project. Considering the situation, production of the Brahma variety is discouraged, so that the milk production does not decrease."
"The government is encouraging rearing of cow varieties that give more milk and beef," he added.
Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Secretary Sayeed Mahmud Belal Haider told this correspondent that the Brahma variety cows are not banned in the country. But, the farmers feel discouraged to rear this variety of cow using artificial breeding method as once the local and Brahma varieties are crossed, countrys milk production will fall drastically.
"We need to increase production of milk and beef to ensure peoples nutrition. So, we are discouraging such cross breeding," he added.
According to the experts, the US authorities researched on the Brahma variety of cow from 1885 to 1926 and developed a new variety and named it Brahman or Brahma.
The highest weight of it be between 800kg and 1,100kg.
Considering increasing demand, the DLS imported calf and semen from the US and began production of the variety in the country. Farmers were given semen to breed their cattle.
The Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division of the Planning Ministry recommended to the government to increase production of the crossed for increasing beef production.
The National Technical Regulatory Committee also recommended to continue its production. But, a section of DLS officials suggested to the government to discourage the production of the crossed variety saying that it would hamper milk production in the country.
The Beef Cattle Development Project Authority under the DLS, in its report in 2018, also recommended to the ministry to continue production of the crossed variety to meet demand of beef.
