Cattle markets get momentum in Khulna

Cattle markets in the city and 59 upazilas of Khulna division gradually appeared vibrant only two days ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha, but buyers found the sacrificial animals’ prices to be a little exorbitant compared to the previous years.

Market operators said besides the local buyers, the wholesale cattle traders continued to send livestock to the markets in the city and 9 upazilas of the district from different districts in the Khulna division.

A total of 163 traditional and makeshift cattle markets, including the KCC’s Zoragate cattle market, have been set up, and 159 medical teams have already been formed for the cattle markets in the division.

This year cow has been reared 4,51,137 while buffalo 5,056, goat 6,97,823, sheep 28,957 and other animals 25 in the division.

“There is no shortage of cattle supply to the markets though there are no Indian imported cattle this year,” Md. Afzal, a cattle trader of Mistri Para Khalpar Road in the city, said at Zoragate cattle market at KCC yesterday.

But market observers and buyers said the price of a medium-sized cow ranged between Taka 1,50,000 to Taka 2,50,000 and a goat was being sold at prices between Taka 30,000 to Taka 45,000 a price range which appeared a little higher than the previous year.

Shazahan Mia, an owner of a dairy farm, namely ‘Shazahan Agro Farm’ in the city’s Nirala Prantika area told BSS today, “I have brought 20 cows at Zoragate cattle market. The price of my small size cow is Taka 1,10,000 and the price of the biggest ox namely ‘Kalu’s is Taka 15 lakh.”

Traders attributed the higher price to the soaring price of animal feed and transport costs, he added.

Talking to BSS, Panel mayor of KCC Ali Akbor Tipu, the Secretary General of the KCC’s cattle market said KCC earned over Taka 2.25 crore selling over 7,500 sacrificial animals last year at KCC’s Zoragate makeshift cattle market.

He hoped KCC will earn over Taka 2.75 crore from selling over 12,000 sacrificial animals this year.

Officials said, the 9 upazilas of the district installed a total of 22 cattle markets and KCC installed a lone cattle market in the Zoragate area.

Acting director of Khulna Divisional Livestock Department Dr. Md. Lutfor Rahman told BSS, a total of 9,26,209 sacrificial animals were sacrificed last year in the Khulna division.

According to the Livestock Office, the demand for sacrificial animals in Khulna division this year stands at 8,28,998, but this year, farmers of the division reared 11,82,998 sacrificial animals targeting Eid-ul-Azha.

Market operators installed adequate currency screening machines in all the cattle markets while police said steps were taken to ensure required security in the marketplaces.

Additional Commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) Sarder Rakibil Islam said, “We have taken three-tier security measures including huge close circuit cameras (CC) at the Zoragate cattle market.”

“Besides, we have introduced a picture-perfect traffic management system to ease traffic congestion in and around the market in the city,” he added. (BSS)