Price drop disappoints Bogura turkey farmers

Our Correspondent
BOGURA, Mar 09: Commercial raising of turkey hens is a popular venture in the district but sudden fall in price has disappointed the farmers.
Fund shortage, lack of government support, weak market monitoring system, fall in prices, high rate of feed and virus attacks are main reasons for the situation.
According to the district livestock office, more than 3,400 farms were set up in the area during the last few years but some 1,300 are under the threat of closure.
Shalfa, Bathuabary, Hamchhayapur, Sherua, Sailapara, Sonka, Suvogachha, Mohipur and Bererbari villages are well-known for turkey rearing but a good number farm owners said they have been incurring a massive loss for the last few months.
Some farmers said each chick was sold at Tk 350 to Tk 400 a few months ago but it is now Tk 50 to Tk 100 in the market.
Rearers said over 300 people in Dupchanchia, Gabtoly, Shariakandi, Sonatola, Shajahanpur, Sherpur, Adamdighi, Kahaloo and Sadar upazilas of the district are engaged with the initiative.
Most of the farmers set up the farms by taking loan from banks, NGOs or other financial institutions.
Farmer Habibur Rahman of Sherpur upazila said turkey rearing was profitable. But the situation has change now. "We are now worried about repaying the loan we had taken to set up the farms", he added.
"I started my farm with 30 turkey birds last year investing Tk 55,000. I could not make the profit as I expected earlier," said Faizul Islam of Kahaloo upazila.
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