PUNE: Not only are farmers in drought-hit Marathwada facing large-scale crop damage, they are also now having to contend with another crisis – dwindling fodder and water supplies – which is forcing them to sell their cattle, often at significantly lower prices. With the protracted dry spell continuing across the region, several farmers have been left with no other option but to sell their livestock for which purpose they are increasingly turning to weekly cattle markets held in different districts.
One such farmer, Gorakh Chavan, from Ghansawangi taluka in Jalna, travelled nearly 50 km in a van with one bullock to the weekly cattle market held at Parthi in Parbhani district on September 27 only to return home, the unsold animal in tow. “I was unable to sell the bullock as cattle traders were not interested. I was even ready to sell it at a low price. I returned home with the animal,” said Chavan, whose soybean and maize crops sown on seven acres of land were completely damaged by the drought.
Another farmer, Sham Solanke from Majalgaon taluka in Beed, was able to sell two buffaloes at the Parthi weekly cattle market earlier this month but for a sum of ₹44,000 as against the around ₹90,000 for which he had bought the pair three years ago.
Both Chavan and Solanke said that arranging fodder and water for their cattle had become a ‘gargantuan’ task amid the crop damage. Their fodder stocks had been exhausted and providing water to the animals had also become difficult.
{{/usCountry}}Both Chavan and Solanke said that arranging fodder and water for their cattle had become a ‘gargantuan’ task amid the crop damage. Their fodder stocks had been exhausted and providing water to the animals had also become difficult.
{{/usCountry}}“We do not have fodder to give the cattle. It is better to sell them,” both the farmers said.
Yet another farmer, Maheshraje Solanke, from Majalgaon in Beed, said that water scarcity is affecting both people and livestock. “Where will we get water and fodder for our cattle? I sold eight cows of mine at the Parthi cattle market on September 27 for ₹1.25 lakh. I had bought the animals for ₹1.75 lakh last year. At least I was fortunate to be able to sell my cows unlike many other farmers,” he said.
Weekly cattle markets are held regularly in several villages across the region, where traders buy livestock and later sell it to farmers looking to purchase animals.
Cattle trader Samauddin Inamdar said, “There are hardly any buyers for the cattle brought to the markets. We are currently scouting for animals that we feel can be resold to farmers. We cannot afford to offer higher prices to farmers who want to sell their livestock.”
Inamdar said that nearly 150 cattle had been brought to the Parthi weekly market every week over the past one month, as compared to around 70 cattle every week during normal periods.
Some cattle traders also said that they were unable to transport the animals to other states for resale as they risked being intercepted on the suspicion that the cattle were being taken to slaughterhouses.
Dipak Lipane, Parbhani district general secretary of the All-India Kisan Sabha, said that the number of distressed farmers visiting the weekly market at Parthi had increased as fodder and water availability for livestock deteriorated in the region.
According to Sambhajinagar-based farmers’ rights’ activist Jayaji Suryavanshi, farmers in Marathwada are facing a difficult situation. “Their crops are damaged and they do not have water and fodder for their cattle. They are desperate to sell their livestock at whatever price they can get. But cattle traders are unwilling to buy the livestock even at lower prices,” said Suryavanshi. He stressed the need for the state government to immediately set up cattle camps in the region and ensure the supply of fodder and water.
On his part, state agriculture minister Dattatray Bharne said that the government will take adequate measures to ensure that fodder is made available to farmers as soon as possible. “At this juncture, I do not have feedback about large-scale distress-selling of cattle by farmers in Marathwada. A few farmers could be keen to sell their livestock. The state government will render all possible assistance to the farmers,” he said.