By Manoj Pathak

Patna, Apr 18 (IANS): The coronavirus outbreak has hit dairy farmer in Bihar hard as the prices of feed have increased, they are neither able to sell nor getting fair price for milk.

Lakhan Yadav of Korma village in Gaya said, "I get 60-70 litres of milk from 10 buffaloes and two cows a day. Before the lockdown, I sold milk at Rs 55 per litre to sweet shop and tea stall owners. But there is almost no sale now as shops are shut."

Rameshwar Prasad, an elderly cattle herder, said as we couldn't visit urban areas, we were selling milk in the nearby villages. Due to competition from other milk sellers in villages, prices were getting hit, he added.

As per the dairy farmers, one cow eats 10 kg of dry feed and 5 kg of green fodder a day.

In such a scenario, the rising prices of cattle feed is just adding to their woe.

According to fodder traders, due to restriction on trucks' movement, not enough fodder is available. A fodder trader said they were forced to sell straw at Rs 250-300 per 20 kg bale against Rs 200 earlier.

Shortage of labourers was simply adding to the problem as straw couldn't be loaded or unloaded from trucks or trollies, he added.

On the problem, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Resources Minister Prem Kumar said, "Steps have been taken to provide fodder to cattle herders. While banks have been asked to give loans to animal rearers, we are also planning to distribute fodder for free in many areas."

According to the Economic Survey, there are around 77 lakh buffaloes and 153 lakh cows and bulls in Bihar.