Essential: Boost meat production, slash unit costs

Ahead lies Eid-ul-Adha (the festival of sacrifice), with its main ritual of animal sacrifice. In Bangladesh, almost half of the total yearly animal sacrifices occur during Eid-ul-Adha. Last year, 141,812 animals were sacrificed, including 4.581 million cattle, 107,875 buffaloes, 5.352 million goats and sheep, and the rest 877 other animals (such as camels, deer, etc.). This year, around 1 crore and 30 lakh animals are prepared for sacrifice. With an assumed 10% annual increase in demand, the demand for animals might reach 1 crore and 10 lakh this time, with an expected surplus of around 20 lakh animals. Due to the recent pandemic and economic instability, the demand for sacrificial animals has been relatively low for the past three years, resulting in unsold animals. However, there might be a slight increase in demand this time. Nevertheless, due to recent price fluctuations and increased production costs, the price of animals may rise. If animal sales decrease, farmers will suffer losses. In such circumstances, it is advisable to completely stop importing both formal and informal sacrificial animals.

Recent intense rains and severe flooding have severely affected agriculture. The livestock sector has suffered the most. Heatstroke has claimed the lives of hundreds of cattle, buffaloes, goats, and sheep. Diseases among them have increased, with 99% of animals experiencing weight loss. In many places, deep miscarriages have occurred in cattle. Due to the heatwave, milk production has decreased, affecting dairy animals. Farmers are facing the threat of bankruptcy due to the increased cost of production and decreased revenue from milk sales. Recent heatwaves have increased production costs by at least 20%. Despite efforts like repeated grooming, storing straw in tin, providing saline and glucose, and even running fans, the situation remains dire. The recent crisis in the livestock sector has left many farmers worried about potential losses in the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha.

Currently, the number of livestock in Bangladesh stands at 569,260,026. Among them, there are 243,091,000 cattle, 14,093,000 buffaloes, 264,035,000 goats, and 367,000,000 sheep. The total meat production is 9,265,000 metric tons, with approximately 63% coming from livestock and 37% from poultry. The majority of meat supply comes from cattle. However, the annual growth rate of cattle is low, while that of goats and sheep is high. Cattle are preferred for sacrifice. Sacrifices are usually divided into seven shares, but one cow can also suffice for sacrifice. Due to price fluctuations and economic crises, the number of shares for sacrifice may increase. Those who were considering sacrificing one cow might opt for shares, and those who were considering multiple shares might sacrifice one cow instead, or even refrain from sacrificing altogether.

The number of goats and sheep for sacrifice may increase. Previously, each farmer used to raise cattle. Traditional plowing was done with oxen. Now, the use of plows drawn by tractors or tillers has increased. Traditional plowing with oxen has decreased significantly. Only a small portion of plowing is done with the help of animals or human labor. The use of oxen in plowing has decreased due to increased use of tractors and tillers. Many farmers have permanently stopped raising cattle. Those who still raise cattle do so primarily for milk or meat production. Some dairy farms are providing small loans at a 5% interest rate to establish dairy farms. Dairy farm owners are getting loans at a 5% interest rate. As a result, many educated young entrepreneurs have entered the field of cattle farming. Milk production has increased due to their efforts. Milk sales have decreased significantly due to the recent crisis. Dairy farmers have suffered losses due to recent price fluctuations.

Those who raise cattle for meat production are also not immune to losses. The sale of cattle has decreased significantly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many animals remain unsold. Despite an increase in the livestock population, prices have risen. Sales are low. Many educated young people, modern farmers, and returnees from abroad who were unemployed are now receiving training in livestock farming. They are keen on livestock development. A farmer spends between 60,000 to 80,000 taka to purchase an improved breed calf. After rearing it for about a year, spending approximately 9,000 taka per month, it is sold for 150,000 to 300,000 taka after fattening. According to a Ph.D. thesis conducted by a student of Bangladesh Agricultural University's Agribusiness Department, the majority of selected cattle for fattening are between two to four years old. These are thoroughbred cattle raised with intensive care. Initially, they are dewormed. Then they are regularly fed with urea-chitogur mixed feed, some concentrated mixture, and green grass.

Caring for cattle is done from 2 to 6 months of age. The Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute has developed a package of technologies for cattle fattening, which takes 3 to 4 months. According to field observations, through fattening, the weight of an improved breed of cattle increases by 700 to 1000 grams per day, while indigenous cattle gain between 100 to 450 grams per day. The main expenses of cattle fattening are feed costs, medication prices, and labor wages. After excluding these costs, a farmer earns a net profit of Tk. 13,350 for each cattle. This is a significant source of income for farmers. However, farmers' net income may decrease. Nevertheless, it is advisable for farmers to sell cattle at a slight profit. This will increase total sales. Consumers will be happy. Business will prosper.

Many people believe that in cattle fattening, harmful steroids, antibiotics, and chemicals are used for health. Perhaps this was seen in some cases a few years ago. Now it is not visible. Veterinary medical teams are inspecting the use of these prohibited substances in cattle feed. If the presence of such prohibited substances is found in cattle feed, legal action can be taken according to the law. In this regard, the government has adopted a 'zero tolerance' policy. As a result, the use of harmful chemicals in cattle fattening is no longer noticeable.

The price of meat has increased rapidly in Bangladesh. In 2015, the price of beef was Tk. 280 to Tk. 300 per kilogram. Now it has increased to Tk. 550 to Tk. 600. Along with that, the price of mutton and goat meat has also increased. The Indian government had previously restricted the import of cattle, which affected a section of the Hindu community who believed in the ancient Hindu religion. The current BJP government has implemented it. As a result, the import of Indian cattle into Bangladesh has decreased. Consequently, the price of meat in this country increased. Taking advantage of this opportunity, farmers in the country became interested in cattle fattening. Farms have increased rapidly. Now, Bangladesh is almost self-sufficient in meat production. However, prices have risen. Farmers will benefit, but low-income consumers will be discouraged. Demand will decrease.

In this situation, increasing meat production per animal and reducing the cost per unit is essential. Selling hides of sacrificial animals and getting the right price for them is a big problem. We have observed a significant rise in the price of hides over the past few years. This also requires a solution. It is necessary to determine the price of hides internally and implement it correctly. It must be ensured that hides are purchased from farmers at the specified price. The owners of the hides sold for sacrifice are the poor and needy. Orphans and the destitute. Therefore, it is everyone's responsibility to ensure proper preservation of hides and their fair value.

Author: Agricultural Economist; Director, Dhaka School of Economics and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Global Village.