Livestock across Bangladesh are suffering from a severe heatwave, leading to a significant decline in production of eggs, milk, and meat. Experts predict a production decrease of 10% to 25% due to heat-related issues such as reduced appetite, water scarcity, and protein deficiency among animals. The Bangladesh Poultry Association estimates a loss of Tk 200 crore within 10 days due to the heat, particularly affecting marginalized farmers.
Chicken farmers report that approximately 30% of chickens are dying in each farm, while egg prices have dropped below production costs, selling at Tk 8 each instead of the production cost of Tk 10. Similarly, dairy farmers note a 25% decrease in milk production, impacting profitability and weight gain targets for cattle reared for Eid-ul-Azha. Despite these challenges, there is a lack of awareness programs and actions from the Department of Livestock to mitigate the situation for affected farmers. The extent of livestock losses and damages is expected to be assessed and reported within the next few days.
Source for more details:
