Lowering beef price hinges on improving cattle breeds: Dairy farmers

It is not possible to reduce the cost of beef if breeding of improved varieties of beef cattle is not allowed in the country, according to the Bangladesh Dairy Farmers' Association (BDFA).

Currently, the government does not allow the rearing of American Brahman type beef cattle on the grounds that farmers will rush for such varieties, lowering milk production.

"Brazil is now the most advanced country in the world in milk and meat production, riding on improved cattle rearing," Mohammed Imran Hossain, BDFA president, told TBS on the closing day of the livestock exposition in Dhaka on Friday.

Native cows produce 1kg meat from 12kg of grain feed, whereas improved breed cows give 1kg of meat after consuming 5kg of feed, he explained.

Beef is now selling more or less at Tk750 per kg across the country, making the key protein item unaffordable to many limited-income consumers.    

The dairy farmers say the government has to step in to lower the skyrocketing cattle feed price in the country to bridle the beef price spiral.

Besides, they also demanded shifting farm electricity bills from the commercial category to the agriculture sector, local production and availability of high-quality vaccines, and the implementation of the Dairy Development Board.

Touhid Parvez Biplab, owner of Bogura Bhandar Agro Farm, said, "The price of feed has increased by 137% in the last five years. Government intervention is needed to stop this price increase. Otherwise, thousands of educated entrepreneurs of the country may lose their capital."

Formed in 2016 with the aim of transforming the country's dairy farming into an industry, the BDFA has more than 55,000 members.

Many of them are highly educated. Farmers feel that it will be difficult to maintain the achievement of self-sufficiency in meat production if the enthusiasm of these farmers is not maintained.

Until 2015, Bangladesh was heavily dependent on neighbouring countries for beef, as 65% of the local demand was met with foreign cattle, according to the Department of Livestock and the farmers.

But in five years of efforts, local farmers managed to meet this shortfall apart from meeting increased demand during Eid-ul-Adha. Also, the country has a surplus of more than 25 lakh animals every year now.

In 2013-14 fiscal year, the production of all types of meat in the country was 45 lakh tonnes, which rose to 87.10 lakh metric tonnes in 2022-23 fiscal year. Farmers now dream of exporting meat.

Livestock fair ends in Dhaka

The two-day livestock fair ended at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital on Friday, drawing a large number of visitors and people willing to book sacrificial animals targeting the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha.

Thousands of animals were put on display at the fair's 400 stalls.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, the Directorate of Livestock, the BDFA and the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Council (BPIC) jointly organised the event.

A total of 93 awards, along with crests and certificates, were given to the participants in 19 categories.

Although the fair ended Friday, the Directorate of Livestock will observe the nationwide Livestock Service Week till 22 April.