NATORE, May 20: The stock of sacrificial cattle for coming Eid-ul-Azha is quite good in the district.
This year, 5,15,000 cattle-heads of different categories have been prepared for this purpose in the district. Of these, 2,41,000 are surplus.
After meeting the local demand, this excess cattle will be sent to different districts of the country including Dhaka.
According to Department of Livestock (DoLS), there are 20,000 cattle farms in the district. These farms have produced 5,14,215 cattle-heads for the Eid.
The animals included cows 1,18,317, buffaloes 7,928, goats 3,49.487, sheep 38,451, and Dumba 32.
The total demand of cattle for the Eid purpose in the district is 2,73,205.
Dr Md Mostafa Zaman, Upazila DoLS Officer, said, they have taken various steps to encourage farmers in cattle rearing. They gave training to 1,095 farmers on cattle rearing. A total of 114 yard-meetings were held, and 5,000 leaflets were distributed at the upazila level, he added.
Besides, they have taken preventive measures for the farmers and the traders so that miscreants cannot disturb them any way. They suggested farmers to be on the alert about the matter.
Rekat Ali, model cattle farmer in Dalsarak area in Sadar Upazila, said, he generally sells cattle to customers of different areas of the country including the capital city. Besides, other traders do this business in haats in different districts, taking their cattle by trucks.
Dr Zulfiquer Md Akhter Hossain, District DoLS Officer, said, cattle worth Tk 200 crore have been prepared in the district, this year. The selling will begin from the next week, he added.
The cattle will be taken to 26 haats in the district. Farmers and traders have been given necessary directions about business security.
DC Asma Shahin said, Natore is one of the biggest wholesale skin markets of the country; proper monitoring will be made to this matter so that farmers, traders and buyers can do their transaction safely.
