Floodwater in the low-lying parts of Haluaghat upazila in Mymensingh has submerged and ruined large stretches of grazing land, leaving livestock owners short of fodder. Farmers in the low areas have struggled to feed their animals, and many lost the dry straw they had stored.

The water has now receded, but with their straw stocks used up, farmers and cattle rearers in the low-lying areas are buying straw at the market for Tk 25 a kg.

According to the upazila livestock office, Haluaghat has 114 cattle farms and 1.44 lakh head of cattle in all. A sudden flood towards the end of the last Boro season inundated the low-lying areas, causing a fodder shortage in many places.

The upazila agriculture office says transplanted Aman rice has been grown on 24,700 hectares in the upazila this year. Early harvesting has begun in a few places, but cutting will only be in full swing towards the end of November, so farmers still face a wait of about a month and a half for new straw.

Temporary straw markets have sprung up in Dhara, Nagla, Dhurail, Shakuai, Bildora and other parts of the upazila. Boro rice straw sells there at Tk 25 a kg, and a five-kilo bundle costs Tk 125. Straw is sold as soon as it reaches the market.

Nazmul Islam, a cattle farmer buying straw at Dhara bazar, said: "This time I had no chance to dry the Boro straw. The rain ruined all of it, and what little I managed to collect is also gone. Until the Aman rice is harvested there is no option but to buy straw. I am in real trouble with my cattle. Every day I have to buy straw at the market for Tk 25 a kg."

Kuddus Mia, another farmer from Bildora, said: "This time the rain started before we could finish bringing in the crop. Bran and feed for cattle are very expensive, so I am forced to buy straw at a high price. I am in great difficulty with my cattle, and if I sell them now I will not get a good price."

Upazila livestock officer Dr Md Shahidul Alam told Kaler Kantho that many farmers in the low-lying areas could not dry their Boro straw because of the sudden flood, and their stored straw has also run out. As a result, straw shortages may arise in some parts of the upazila. "However, we are advising farmers to feed water hyacinth as an alternative to straw," he said.

Source: Kaler Kantho. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.