As Eid-ul-Azha is approaching, livestock farmers of Nazirpur upazila in Pirojpur district are struggling to cope with increasing prices hike of feed and fodder.
Many farmers have become impassive about the livestock business in the upcoming years due to abnormally high prices of husk, cattle booster, wheat etc. In many farms, cows are being fed less than the standard requirement which is also affecting milk production and fattening process of the animals, farmers said.

Farmers suspect that the supply of sacrificial animals may fall short of demand during the upcoming Eid al-Azha in the upazila.
According to the Upazila Livestock Office, there are more than 1,000 animal farms that have 9,646 animals including bulls, cows, oxen, buffaloes, goats and sheep for sacrifice in the upazila.
Cows are normally fed with wheat husk, rice husk and artificial grain feed. Recently, per kg wheat husk has increased by Tk6, boot shell by Tk10, rice husk by Tk6 and grain feed by Tk7, feed traders said.
Buyers and sellers in various markets said that three months back husk was sold for Tk1,700 per bag (37 kg), boot shell at Tk1,300 per bag (25 kg), granulated feed at Tk1,225 per bag (25 kg). rice husk at Tk1,450 per bag (50 kg).
Accordingly, the price of wheat husk was Tk46 per kg, shoe shell Tk52, rice husk Tk29 and grain feed was Tk49. But now wheat husk price is Tk52 per kg, boot shell Tk62, rice husk Tk38 and grain feed Tk55.
Munna Bahadur, a cattle feed trader at Gaonkhali market, said, “Farmers are buying less feed and fodder in recent months. In the last five years, different companies have increased the price of cow feed several times. Due to soaring prices, many have closed their farms. It has become difficult to collect dues from them.”
Animal feed retailer Khokon Molla said, “There is no shortage of food. But due to the price hike, our business has slowed down. Farmers are now buying less food than before.”
Machum Babul, the owner of a large cattle farm in Nazirpur, said, “There are 25 animals on my farm including cows and bulls. I’m frustrated by the exorbitant increase in food prices and struggling to run the farm. Earlier, daily expenses were around Tk2,500 and now it has picked to Tk5000 daily.”
Nazirpur Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Md Tariqul Islam said, “The prices of cow feed in the market are a little high this year. Marginal farmers are facing a lot of trouble. Therefore, I have advised the cattle breeders and farmers to reduce the pressure on grain food and increase their focus on grass production.”
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s livestock feed industry mainly relies on imports for most of their feed ingredients. According to a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) report released in March, the high prices of feed for poultry, aquaculture and cattle will continue to affect farmers in 2024.
Elevated prices of key feed ingredients have contributed to the overall increase in feed prices, said the report, citing the Feed Industry Association Bangladesh (FIAB) and the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC).