Khulna: Nearly 14.47 lakh sacrificial animals are available against the demand of 10.79 lakh animals for Eid-ul-Azha in the division. Director of the Department of Livestock Services (DoLS), Khulna, Dr. Mohammad Golam Haider, informed BSS that the demand for sacrificial animals this year is around 10.79 lakh, compared to 8.29 lakh last year.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, this year, there are 14.46 lakh animals ready, which is expected to help minimize the prices of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. The local supply is sufficient to meet the entire demand, with a surplus of 3,67,360 animals, marking a sharp rise of 74.61 percent over the demand. This surplus means there is no need to import cattle from other countries to fulfill Khulna's needs.
DoLS sources reported that a total of 14,46,809 sacrificial animals have been reared locally across 10 districts in the division, exceeding the demand of 10,79,449 by 3,67,360. The animals include 1,30,427 oxen, 32,027 bullocks, 82,302 cows, 4,089 buffaloes, 8,51,370 goats, 51,173 sheep, and 216 others. These cattle have been reared in 1,38,054 farms, with many individuals also raising cattle at their homesteads.
Sahabuddin Ahmed, a farm owner in Rupsha Upazila, noted that the prices of animals might be a bit higher this year due to increased feed costs. Md Didarul Alam, a farmer from Dumuria Upazila, has been raising seven native cattle using local feeds, which keeps them healthy and appealing to buyers. Liakat Hossain, another farmer, has expanded his family's livestock tradition into commercial farming, raising cattle and goats on eight kathas of land in Tipna village.
Cattle markets are beginning to appear across all districts of the Khulna division, though traders and leaseholders expect full-scale buying and selling to commence in about a week. In rural areas, households continue to raise indigenous cattle, while commercial farms focus on fattening breeds like Sahiwal and Sindhi for sacrificial purposes. After meeting local demand, a significant number of animals will be supplied to other parts of the country. Farmers are diligently caring for their livestock both at home and on farms as Eid-ul-Azha approaches.