Badrul Ahsan :
A huge amount of cattle influx from India and Myanmar may surpass the local demand for the sacrificial animal in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Experts and market researchers said the resumption of cattle export by India now turn a boon to the local consumers, although the influx may hit the local cattle rearing farmers hard.
Researchers feared a possible shortage of about 30 percent or 20 lakh of cattle during Eid but the recent inflow of cattle from India and Myanmar has led them to give a second thought on the availability of sacrificial animal.
Nearly 80 lakh cattle are slaughtered annually in Bangladesh, of which almost 50 percent are slaughtered during Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival for the Muslims. This year the demand for cattle may reach 40 lakh during the festival, according to the Department of Livestock and Services (DLS).
Khondaker G Moazzem, additional research director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue who has recently done a research on the informal cattle trade between India and Bangladesh, said he was thinking that many people would change their purchase plans to cushion the effect of high prices but recent inflow of cattle from the neighbouring countries might change the scenario.
“We were thinking many will go for the shared norm of sacrifice in the coming Eid. Some will opt for goats while some will refrain from sacrificing any animal at all. But present news of huge inflow of cattle from India and Nepal may change the situation,” he said.
According to our district correspondents at Nilphamari, Kurigram, Pabna and some other border areas, thousands of cattle, mostly cows and buffaloes, are coming from India to Bangladesh every day which remained halted for the last couple of years due to a ban on exports, imposed by the Indian government showing religious sensation.
“Border hats are full of Indian cattle. Customs officials and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel are passing busy time to manage the huge inflow,” said Ekramul Haque Samrat, the Kurigram correspondent.
Kurigram Customs Inspector Ashraful Islam said 35,147 Indian cattle have passed the corridors at Dharla Bridge point and Roumari point in the district this month. When a consignment of illegally imported Indian cattle is seized by the members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the customs department officials take Tk 500 each to clear the way for the traders to take those to local markets.
Besides, our Cox’s Bazar correspondent also reported the same situation saying they have seen an increased number of cattle being imported from Myanmar through Teknaf border.
The cows are being imported through formal channel using corridor in Teknaf that increased income for the customs authority.
“If the present scenario of cattle import from Myanmar continues, then income from the cattle import of Tecknuf customs house will jump manyfold,” Md Junaid, Cox’s Bazar correspondent said.
However, though consumers see the inflow as a blessing, cattle rearing farmers and government officials see it as a shock for its local production.
“Though it is a need for the time, but the inflow will discourage the local farmers. Local farmers have already started giving more concentration on domestic production. If the inflow floods the market then local production may face hurdle,” Ajay Kumar Roy, Director General of Department of Livestock Services (DLS) told the newsmen.
“If the present inflow of cattle continues, the flow of cattle may surpass the local demand as a huge amount of cattle remained stuck in India for the last couple of years due to export ban,” he added.
A huge amount of cattle influx from India and Myanmar may surpass the local demand for the sacrificial animal in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Experts and market researchers said the resumption of cattle export by India now turn a boon to the local consumers, although the influx may hit the local cattle rearing farmers hard.
Researchers feared a possible shortage of about 30 percent or 20 lakh of cattle during Eid but the recent inflow of cattle from India and Myanmar has led them to give a second thought on the availability of sacrificial animal.
Nearly 80 lakh cattle are slaughtered annually in Bangladesh, of which almost 50 percent are slaughtered during Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival for the Muslims. This year the demand for cattle may reach 40 lakh during the festival, according to the Department of Livestock and Services (DLS).
Khondaker G Moazzem, additional research director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue who has recently done a research on the informal cattle trade between India and Bangladesh, said he was thinking that many people would change their purchase plans to cushion the effect of high prices but recent inflow of cattle from the neighbouring countries might change the scenario.
“We were thinking many will go for the shared norm of sacrifice in the coming Eid. Some will opt for goats while some will refrain from sacrificing any animal at all. But present news of huge inflow of cattle from India and Nepal may change the situation,” he said.
According to our district correspondents at Nilphamari, Kurigram, Pabna and some other border areas, thousands of cattle, mostly cows and buffaloes, are coming from India to Bangladesh every day which remained halted for the last couple of years due to a ban on exports, imposed by the Indian government showing religious sensation.
“Border hats are full of Indian cattle. Customs officials and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel are passing busy time to manage the huge inflow,” said Ekramul Haque Samrat, the Kurigram correspondent.
Kurigram Customs Inspector Ashraful Islam said 35,147 Indian cattle have passed the corridors at Dharla Bridge point and Roumari point in the district this month. When a consignment of illegally imported Indian cattle is seized by the members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the customs department officials take Tk 500 each to clear the way for the traders to take those to local markets.
Besides, our Cox’s Bazar correspondent also reported the same situation saying they have seen an increased number of cattle being imported from Myanmar through Teknaf border.
The cows are being imported through formal channel using corridor in Teknaf that increased income for the customs authority.
“If the present scenario of cattle import from Myanmar continues, then income from the cattle import of Tecknuf customs house will jump manyfold,” Md Junaid, Cox’s Bazar correspondent said.
However, though consumers see the inflow as a blessing, cattle rearing farmers and government officials see it as a shock for its local production.
“Though it is a need for the time, but the inflow will discourage the local farmers. Local farmers have already started giving more concentration on domestic production. If the inflow floods the market then local production may face hurdle,” Ajay Kumar Roy, Director General of Department of Livestock Services (DLS) told the newsmen.
“If the present inflow of cattle continues, the flow of cattle may surpass the local demand as a huge amount of cattle remained stuck in India for the last couple of years due to export ban,” he added.
