The dairy farm owners in Jhenidah have been facing severe crisis when they were caught in covid 19 for last three months. Low demand of the milk and higher prices of fodder has thrown them in trouble, said the dairy farm owners. They have urged the authorities to sanction incentives for their survival at no delay.
Rokanuzzaman Ripon of Dhananjoypur village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila said he established a dairy farm titled MRH Agro Private Limited on four bighas of land in 2004 aiming at producing milk and meet up demand of the local people as well as some companies.
Six regular day labouarers were deployed there to take care of the cows. The number of cows including 22 milching cows was 42 in his farm.He has been procuring , 120 litres of milk a day, he said.
According to Ripon, the companies had stopped purchasing the milk in bulk quantity and he has no alternative to sell his 60 litres of milk in the local market at a lower price.
But he is compelled to purchase the fodder at a higher price due to shortage of transport and increasing transport cost. The market was quizzed when the local hotels and restaurants also stopped milk purchasing, Ripon said.
The entrepreneur said he established the dairy farm investing Taka one crore from bank where six day labourers have been serving. He has incurring Taka five thousand as loss every day. Only incentives for the government side might save the dai0ry farm owners like him, he said.
District livestock office sources in Jhenidah said about 284 tons of milk is produced the private dairy farms every day in Jhenidah Sadar, Kaliganj, Kotchandpur, Moheshpur, Shailkupa and Harinakundu upazilas of the district. Maximum in quantity and quality milk is produced in Shailkupa upazila.
Ananda Kumar Adhikary, District livestock officer (DLO) in Jhenidah when contacted said he had informed the loss and pitiable condition of the dairy farm owners in the district. The dairy farm owners might be supported financially for their survival, DLO expected his hope.
