Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The district’s drought stress is spreading beyond crop fields into the livestock economy, where farmers are facing the painful combination of expensive fodder, water scarcity and falling animal prices.
At the buffalo market in the Cantonment area, farmers and traders have reported weak demand and fewer transactions. TV9 Marathi reported that animals which farmers had maintained for months in expectation of better prices were being offered at sharply reduced rates as the cost of keeping livestock rises.
Fodder shortage changes the economics
When fodder and cattle-feed prices increase, holding an animal for a better future price becomes more expensive each day. In a drought, farmers may therefore be forced to sell earlier than planned, increasing supply at precisely the time buyers are becoming cautious.
One farmer cited in the report said a Jaffarabadi buffalo valued around ₹1.5 lakh had to be sold for about ₹1.10 lakh. Individual transactions cannot establish the entire market trend, but they illustrate the financial pressure livestock owners say they are facing.
Relief planning must include livestock
Drought policy often focuses first on crop losses, but cattle are productive assets and a source of regular income for rural households. Fodder availability, drinking water, veterinary support and measures to prevent distress sales can therefore be as important as crop compensation.
Source: TV9 Marathi. Read more farmer news on NewsNationOnline.
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