Cattle stock still enough despite fall in supply from India

Despite a sharp fall in the cattle influx from India due to their tight border monitoring, Bangladesh has already got a stock of three million (30 lakh) cows and buffalos and 6.9 million (69 lakh) goats, and the number may hit 19 million (1.9 crore) ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha. Director General of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) Ajay Kumar Roy came up with the figure quoting their union-level reports amid concern that the upcoming the Eid-ul-Azha may see an overheated market of sacrificial animals.
He said some 10-15 per cent will be added to the existing figure for cows and
buffalos because the counting is still on. He, however, sees a blessing in disguise in the fall in cattle influx from India as it has created an opportunity for Bangladesh to revamp the domestic livestock market as local farmers have already started giving more concentration on domestic production. “Definitely, it’s an opportunity for us. Domestic production [of cattle] is gradually increasing,” Ajay Kumar Roy said. Though the overall situation has led to a sharp meat price hike in the domestic market, Bangladesh will be benefited in the long run as cattle farmers are now encouraged to go for a large scale cattle farming, he said. Meanwhile, the flow of sacrificial animals from Myanmar through Bangladesh-Myanmar border has increased sharply in recent days. The DG, however, could not make any comment on whether the cows are coming through formal or informal channels, according to a news agency.
- biplab