Gaibandha has more sacrificial animals ready for Eid-ul-Azha than it needs. Farmers in the district are busy with last-minute care of their animals, but with the cost of rearing livestock up, they are worried about the prices they will get.

According to the district livestock office, 138,277 animals, including cattle, goats and sheep, are ready for sacrifice in the district, against demand of 116,770. The extra 21,507 animals will help meet demand in other districts of the country.

Sacrificial animals are being raised on farms large and small in the district's seven upazilas. Besides 23 permanent and 22 temporary cattle markets, animals are being sold on eight online platforms. Many buyers are also going directly to farms or farmers' homes.

Abdur Rahman Sarkar, who is preparing to sacrifice an animal, told Jago News: "I have sacrificed on my own for several years. But with prices rising, household spending has gone up compared with income. So this Eid I will have to share a sacrifice with others."

Mazharul Islam, a farm owner in Gaibandha Sadar upazila, told Jago News: "I have prepared 22 local cattle on my farm for sale this Eid. I suffered losses in this business two years ago during the coronavirus situation, and I am trying hard to make them up. But with the price of cattle feed rising, I am worried about getting a fair price for my animals."

District livestock officer Dr Masudar Rahman Sarkar told Jago News that farmers were being given incentives and other support so that they get good prices.

He said the cattle markets had started to fill up and medical teams were in place to check animals' health. He hoped that animals from the district would meet local demand and help meet demand in other parts of the country.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.