Farmers and cattle traders in Punjab, who are yet to recover from the losses caused by the Central government’s demonetisation decision, are fearing yet another period of distress following the new rules on prevention of cruelty to animals framed by the Centre.
At the Khanna cattle market (mandi), about 70km from the State capital Chandigarh, the anxiety of losing business is palpable among farmers, traders and cattle rearers, who strongly believe that if the new rules are implemented they will hit the farmers, while the traders would suffer eventually.
“Cattle trade is already down by nearly 30% since the notification of new rule has come out. Last year, we had taken the annual tender for trading cattle across Punjab at Rs.51.57 crore, which will end this month. The new tenders have been invited, but with the business falling we are seriously thinking of opting out,” Amarjit Singh, a senior partner at the Rajpura Cattle Fair Traders, which manages the cattle trade business at nearly 62 big and small (mandis) markets in the State, told The Hindu.
Drop in business
“Today (June 15), nearly 2,200 buffaloes and cows have been brought to the mandi while during last two-three months the average figure was between 2,800 and 3,000. This itself is indicative of the drop in business,” he says, adding that many farmers and dairymen, especially those involved in inter-State cattle trade, are reluctant to continue with their business because of the growing number of vigilante groups.
Delhi-based Raj Kumar, who has been in the dairy business for over 30 years, said travelling with cattle in a truck has become a risky affair these days. “Earlier I used to travel in the truck with the cattle, but now a days it’s only the driver who transports them (cattle). The so called “vigilante groups” misbehaved with me recently, when I was on my way to Delhi from Jaipur,” he said. “Since then I travel separately,” he added.
Still unaware
In cattle trade for over four decades, Ikhlaq, hailing from Shamasabad in Agra, is unaware of the new cattle rules. “I don't know anything about the new rules. I have hardly faced any problems in this business all these years, but for the harassment at the hands of the police at times,” he said as he loaded the nine buffaloes he bought from the mandi onto a truck.
Punjab, one of the country’s leading States in cattle breeding and trade, has a flourishing Rs.2500 crore dairy business, according to the State government data.
Manmohan Singh, a partner at Rajpura Cattle Fair Traders, said dairy farming is a big business in Punjab and it cannot be allowed to suffer as a result of the new rules.
“The new rules would prove disastrous for farmers, who are already reeling under severe crisis as a result of the huge debt burden. The State government should, in fact, come to the rescue of farmers and traders. This year's tender for managing cattle trading should be put on halt till the issue is resolved,” he added.
The Ministry of Environment had on May 23 issued a notification pertaining to new rules on ‘Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017’, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Prashant Govind, a farmer from Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar village, has already started to prepare himself for the new rules. “What can we do if the government will implement this decision? We will have to follow.” “I have been selling cattle in case of urgent need of money. If I am not able to sell it in future then it will only add to my distress,” he added.
Sandeep Kumar, another trader, said that new rules such as making it compulsory for a person to possess farm land in order to buy and sell cattle would adversely hit the business. “There are so many landless farmers who are involved in dairy farming. Where will they go? They will be doomed,” he said.
Ashok Kumar of Delhi-based Goyla Dairy, who returned empty-handed on Thursday, cited less number of cattle at the mandi as the reason for “no-deal”.
