The number of sacrificial animals in Rajshahi has grown. More animals have been raised in the district this year than it needs, so after meeting local demand, Rajshahi's cattle and goats will also meet demand in other districts.

With Eid approaching, sacrificial cattle and goats have started arriving at Rajshahi's markets. Buyers and sellers are coming, and traders are arriving from distant districts.

According to the Rajshahi district livestock office, 3,24,977 animals were sacrificed in the district last year, and demand this year is about the same. So far this year, 3,92,645 sacrificial animals have been registered with the livestock office, of which 1,19,286 are cattle and buffaloes and 2,73,359 are goats.

The district now has more than 75,000 sacrificial animals above its needs, which will meet demand in other districts. The livestock department believes the figure will pass one lakh before Eid. These animals have been fattened on 16,545 farms, large and small, in Rajshahi district this year.

Sawdagar Agro Farm in Rajshahi fattened 30 cattle this year and has already sold them all. Its owner, Arafat Rubel, said: "We fattened 30 cattle this year and have sold all of them. We got a good market price this time."

Mosharraf Hossain, owner of MM Agro and Safin Enterprise, said they fattened 35 cattle this year, of which 15 have already been sold, at an average of Tk 1.30 lakh to Tk 1.5 lakh each.

He said the profit was a little lower than the previous year, mainly because of higher feed prices. He hopes the remaining cattle will be sold before Eid.

Meanwhile, trade is picking up ahead of Eid at City Haat, Rajshahi's largest cattle market. New cattle and buyers arrive every day, and wholesale buyers from outside the district have started to come, taking cattle from Rajshahi to other districts.

Atikur Rahman Kalu, leaseholder of Rajshahi City Haat, said: "The market is getting busy earlier than in other years. Traders have already started coming from outside and animals are arriving. The main trade will pick up a few days before Eid. But this year demand for and prices of local cattle seem a little higher."

Rajshahi district livestock officer Dr Zulfikar Md Akhtar Hossain said: "Demand for sacrificial animals in Rajshahi is the same as last time, but the district has again raised extra animals. We have started building a database. So far the district has more than 75,000 surplus sacrificial animals, and the number will pass one lakh before Eid. Once again, Rajshahi's animals will meet demand in other districts."

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