Heat wave, dry weather force farmers to sell their cattle

TIRUCHI:

The cattle shandy at Manapparai has received a record number of cows and bulls for sales due to severe shortage of fodder and drinking water for the animals in the wake of prevailing heat wave and extreme dry weather in the State.

The weekly shandy, one of the oldest cattle shandies, which began at Manapparai near here on Tuesday, witnessed steady arrival of cows and bulls from far away places. The number swelled in the evening with the arrival of a large number of animals.

The shandy held on Tuesday/Wednesdays on an average receives about 3,500 to 4,000 bulls and cows for sales. But, according to estimates, it received about 6,000 bulls and cows up to Tuesday evening. The numbers will go up further as the farmers continue to bring the animals till Wednesday morning.

In addition to farmers of Musiri, Thottiyam, Thuraiyur, Marungapuri, Puthanathan, Vaiyampatti in Tiruchi district, cattle were

Trading in progress at the cattle shandy at Manapparai on Tuesday.

brought from Dindigul, Theni, Madurai, Tiruppur, Erode, Coimbatore, among other districts.

Severe shortage of fodder and drinking water was said to be the main reason behind the sale. “It is usual to note that farmers in general tend to sell their cattle in the summer. But it is unusual to see a record number of animals for sale this week. It is unprecedented. There are farmers who wanted to sell their cattle at any cost,” says N. Ponnusamy, a cattle trader in Manapparai.

Since the traders and farmers showed enormous interest to sell cattle, the prices of them went down by 10% to 20%.

In normal circumstances, the price of a ‘Sindhu’ variety of cow, which yields 20 litres of milk a day, is sold for ₹55,000. It was sold for ₹45,000 on Wednesday. Similarly, the rate of country breed (nattu madu) also went down by 10% to 15%.

“Milch animal growers face tough situation in providing fodder to the cattle as there is no green fodder in the State except in a few farms. The heat wave and rising mercury levels take a toll on the health of them. Moreover, lakes, ponds and rivers have gone dry, thereby causing severe shortage of drinking water to the animals,” Mr. Ponnusamy said.