In the past, buffalo prices always remained in the range of Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000, depending on the milk yield of the animals. However, if cattle traders and milk producers are to be believed, the prices have gone up to as much as Rs 40,000 for Murra and Jafarabadi buffaloes whose milk yield is as high as 20 litres a day. In fact, even desi buffaloes with a milk yield of five to seven litres a day are available for less than Rs 15,000.

Another reason for the rising prices of buffaloes is attributed to the heavy floods that resulted in crop failure over a large area in the state, particularly in Central and south Gujarat regions. With farmers having to depend mostly on animal husbandry to survive this season, they are buying cattle to earn their livelihood. Since co-operative dairies are offering attractive prices, the farmers are encouraged to go in for milk production as a full-time business rather than a part-time activity, as in the past. Baroda Dairy’s managing director Ravindra Mathur opines that the buffalo prices were not going to fall.

‘‘With milk prices going up, the prices of cattles, especially buffaloes and cows, are likely to increase further,’’ said Mathur, who has been associated with the milk industry in Gujarat for over three decades.

Modasa-based Saleem Sindhi, who has been in the cattle trade business for over 30 years, said the prices of buffaloes had risen to such a scale for the first time in the state.

Source: Express News Serevice