Acute fodder crisis grips Lalmonirhat cattle farmers

Farmers of char lands, especially in Teesta and Dharla river areas basin in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat district are facing acute fodder shortage as the recent floods damaged all the grass fields in the char (landmass emerged from riverbed) villages.

A hike of prices of hay, oilcake and wheat bran are also to be blamed for the frustration among the char farmers over cattle rearing.

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Akbar Ali, a farmer at Kakina village in Kaliganj upazila, said now one maund of hay is selling beteen Tk 300 to 320 in the local market against Tk 130 to 140 a month ago.

"Every year during this flood and post flood periods, we face acute fodder shortage as the grasslands in and around the char villages are either damaged or washed away", said Nazrul Islam of Char Kulaghat village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

"I am much frustrated as all my six cows have become weak for lack of required fodder. I can't collect sufficient green fodder from the main land. Neither can I afford to buy hay", added Nazrul.

Nazrul's wife Monowara Begum said she along with many other char women went to the main land everyday for collecting green grasses, but they never got  enough.

The farmers in the main lands are also facing trouble over rearing their cattle as marginal farmers are ploughing their farmlands to sow new crops, said Jamal Hossain of Kutirpar village in Aditmari upazila.

Sources said every year during the rainy season it is not possible for cattle to graze in the fields in Teesta and Dharla river basin villages as the lands go under water.