Dist admin firm to meet demand with local breed

When livestock officials are confident enough to meet the demand of sacrificial animals in Chittagong with local cattle, traders fear there will be a crisis if cattle are not brought from India.

Although it is reported that Indian cattle are coming through different border points, the traders in Chittagong said they did not see any till yesterday.

Manjurul Alam Manju, a lessee of Bibirhat Cattle Market, said Indian cattle meet over 50 percent of the demand during Eid-ul-Azha.

Those brought from Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan every year can meet around five percent of demand, he said. "There is no alternative to bringing Indian cattle to meet the demand hundred percent," Manju observed. Jobair Bepari, a trader at Sagorika Cattle Market, echoed Manju. Local cattle alone could not meet the demand of the Chittagong markets, he said adding that he found some Indian cattle in the market which had been brought last year. He fears a price hike this year.

Contacted, Chittagong District Livestock Officer Abdul Hye said they had taken preparations considering the present situation.

"We have conducted a survey in every union of 14 upazilas of Chittagong and have made a list of the farmers who are rearing at least three cattle each," he said.

"2.2 lakh bulls and around 1.5 lakh goats are being reared in different upazilas."

So, 3.7 lakh cattle are ready to come to the market, he said adding, "In the previous year, 3.63 lakh bulls and 1.1 lakh goats were sacrificed in Chittagong." In addition, a good number of cattle are coming from Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan, he added saying, "So there will be no crisis."

Local cattle met over 80 percent of demand last year, said Hye, adding, "I think, middlemen are trying to create  a panic among people in a bid to hike prices."

Manju however claimed the survey figures have no link to reality.