ZCZC
BSS-01
PROSPECT-DAIRY-FARMING (with picture)
Business-friendly atmosphere can help boost dairy production
RAJSHAHI, July 1, 2018 (BSS) -A business-friendly atmosphere can be the
crucial means of boosting dairy milk production coupled with eradicating the
existing protein deficiency in Rajshahi region.
Prof Jalal Uddin Sarder of Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences of
Rajshahi University says the region has enormous prospects of flourishing the
dairy sector together with milk production.
He mentioned that marginal and medium dairy farmers in the city and its
outskirts need proper milk marketing scope for making their business
profitable and sustainable together with boosting the dairy sector.
“I have to face an embarrassing situation frequently when I failed to sell
my regular produced milk,” said Golam Rahid, a dairy farmer of Assam Colony
area in the city, while talking to BSS here.
He started his business after purchasing a cow at a cost of Taka 10,000 in
1990. Now, he has 15 cows producing 120 liters of milk every day.
Amidst arrangement of high yielding and high breeding cows, milk production
has been enhanced to a great extent. He rushes to locals’ doorsteps for
selling his produce as there is no any specific selling point in the city.
Golam Rahid said dairy farming has now become expensive in the wake of
price-hiking of cow’s feed items, medicines and other requisite inputs. After
struggling for survival many frustrated farmers closed their business due to
financial hardship.
But, their cow-sheds and other infrastructures remained empty till now in
intact condition. Mainly, they abandoned their business due to lack of
marketing facilities. Some others are now operating their business with
multiple problems.
Artificial insemination of cows is gaining popularity in the region
following significant achievement in improving the breeding system.
Artificial insemination is a process of collecting sperm cells from a male
animal and manually depositing them into the reproductive tract of a female.
By dint of cross breeding the cows are giving milk 10 times more than the
previous record, added Golam Rahid.
“Basically, I was bound to shut down my business due to various reasons
including lack of marketing scope,” said Zuber Mian, also a dairy farmer, who
shut down his venture around six months back.
Masudul Haque, another dairy farmer, said there were more than 30,000 small
and marginal dairy farms in the region around 20 years back, but the number
has been reduced at present.
But the region has an enormous opportunity to meet existing protein
deficiency of the local people through boosting the sector.
“I had established a dairy farm with 15/16 milking cows in 2010, but now
have been suffering a lot,” said Masudul Haque, adding that there are a good
number of selling points in many areas across the country so why not in
Rajshahi.
For our survival, we need a business-friendly atmosphere where all
requisite facilities will be available, he appealed.
Dr Zulfikar Akhter Hossain, Additional District Livestock Officer, said
there are 617 dairy farms having around 1.5 cows in the district.
Annual milk production here is around 2.4 lakh metric tonnes. He, however,
says number of dairy farm isn’t being increased due to lack of selling
facility.
Dr Hemayetul Islam, Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer of Department of
Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Rajshahi University, opined that
substantial and sustainable promotion of dairy farming is very important for
removing the existing protein deficiency of the people along with decreasing
the poverty rate in the region.
The unemployment problem in the rural areas could be reduced to a great
extent through making the dairy farming popular at the grassroots.
Moreover, the dairy sector can play a vital role in alleviating poverty in
the region.
So, administration including local government entities should come forward
to establish selling points to encourage many entrepreneurs to invest in the
sector, he said.
BSS/SPL/AH/AKM/0950hrs