In Natore, 5 lakh 20 thousand 238 animals have been prepared on various farms for the sacrifice, while the district's demand is 2 lakh 51 thousand 2 animals. The remaining animals are being taken for sale to the capital, Dhaka, and surrounding districts.

Buyers were seen crowding various farms to buy the animals they like, and many are buying and leaving the animals at the farm. The district's 18,000 farmers are busy selling the animals they have prepared.

Large numbers of sacrificial animals are arriving at Tebaria in Natore Sadar, Moukhara haat in Baraigram upazila, Perabaria in Bagatipara, Chanchkoir in Gurudaspur, Madhubari in Gopalpur upazila and the Singra ferry ghat. Buying and selling of sacrificial animals has also begun on online platforms.

According to the district livestock department, 83,820 bulls, 13,172 cows, 14,242 oxen, 2,822 buffalo, 46,169 sheep and 3 lakh 60 thousand 4 goats are ready for the sacrifice this year.

Abu Bakkar Siddique, a farmer in the Tebaria area, said ten cattle have been prepared on his farm for sale at Eid. "We fatten these animals naturally with nutritious feed, oil cake, wheat, bran, gram and green grass. If the market is good, I can sell each for Tk 1.5 lakh to Tk 3 lakh."

At Ikhlas Uddin's farm in Bhushangachha village of Piprul union in Naldanga upazila, there are cattle of various breeds including Friesian and local. He has 50 to 60 cattle ready for the sacrifice, worth from over Tk 1 lakh up to Tk 5 lakh depending on size, and some smaller cattle have sold for Tk 1 lakh to Tk 2 lakh. Buyers are coming to the farm and taking cattle away. He also has a number of buffalo.

Abul Hossain, a farmer in the Dighapatia area of Sadar upazila, said he has fattened 30 bulls for sale at Eid. Cattle prices are fairly good at the moment, he said, and he has sold two bulls.

Anisur Rahman, a farmer in the Hoybatpur area of Sadar upazila, said he started his farm four years ago with five bulls. He now has 25 bulls, 20 of them prepared for sale at the sacrifice. If prices stay at current market levels, he said, he will sell them for Tk 50 lakh to Tk 60 lakh.

A buyer named Ashik said he is looking for a medium-sized cow for the sacrifice, and prices seem Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000 higher this year.

Another buyer, Faizul Islam, said he buys a cow from a farm for the sacrifice every year. Buying from a farm has an advantage, he said: the animal can be kept at the farm until Eid.

District Livestock Officer Dr Md Golam Mostafa said more than 5 lakh sacrificial animals are ready in the district. After meeting local demand, the rest are being sent to the capital and nearby districts.

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