The Bagachra-Satmail cattle market in Sharsha, a border upazila of Jashore, is known as the biggest livestock market in the southern region. Cattle come here from Jhikargachha, Kalaroa, Chaugachha, Sharsha, Satkhira, Kushtia, Jhenaidah and other neighbouring areas. In other years thousands of animals also came from India. This year, with the BSF's tight controls, no Indian cattle are arriving, but locally raised farm cattle are coming to the market.

Because floods and other disasters have kept outside traders away, farmers and traders are facing losses. Although more cattle are arriving, they are disappointed with prices. The market is packed with cattle large and small, but prices are lower this year, and while sellers crowd in, buyers are missing. The market's owners say buyers are fewer because of flooding in the north.

Sellers said some traders have come from Meherpur, Shariatpur, Dhaka and Chattogram, but with the cattle market in a slump they are not buying many animals. They are waiting to catch the Dhaka market to make up their losses.

Being a border area, the market received large numbers of Indian cattle until about five years ago. Now, with farmers in the district keen on fattening cattle, few come. Alongside local cattle fattened on farms and in homes, the Satmail market this year has Haryana, Sindhi, Bugdai, Friesian, Jersey, Pakistani and other breeds.

Islam Ali, a buyer from Barbakpur in Jhikargachha upazila, said: "I have been to two or three markets to buy a cow for Qurbani. Sellers are asking high prices according to the size of the cattle. A cow I bought for Tk 70,000 last year, they are now asking more than a lakh for."

Al Mamun of Balunda in Sharsha said: "I have liked a reasonable cow. My budget is Tk 70,000, but they don't want to go below a lakh."

Another buyer, Abu Taleb, said: "I found a very nice cow, but they won't sell for under a lakh and a half. I have offered up to a lakh. I will wait until the afternoon; if the price works, I'll take it today. Otherwise I'll come back for Saturday's market."

Ilias Kabir Bakul, leaseholder of the Bagachra Satmail cattle market, said the shortage of buyers had put him in difficulty after bidding for the market.

"I leased the market for about Tk 13 crore, but buyers are few, so the frustration is growing. In other years a great many animals arrive ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. Yet over the last two market days 10,000 cattle were traded. This year the expected number of cattle has not come," he said.

Sharsha Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Narayan Chandra Pal said the market is being monitored so that animals are bought and sold safely. Everyone is being warned to stay alert, and police surveillance has also been stepped up.

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