Dadeldhura farmers start on commercial buffalo rearing venture

By Our Correspondent,Dadeldhura, July 15: Farmers in Aalital Rural Municipality-5, Dadeldhura district, have started rearing buffaloes commercially. About 20 farmers have built new buffalo sheds for the purpose. 

The farmers first bought 20 Murrah buffaloes from Haldwani, in India, and now, they are selling about 100 litres of milk daily in the local market near the village.

Under the buffalo promotion programme of the Veterinary Hospital and Animal Services Expert Centre for the current fiscal year, 20 farmers have constructed sheds and rearing buffaloes.

One of the farmers, Sharmananda Joshi, has built a modern shed and rearing five buffaloes.

He plans to sell milk in the market in a few days.

Devraj Bhatta, chief of the office of the Veterinary Hospital and Animal Services Expert Centre, Dadeldhura, said that around Rs. 3 million has been disbursed under the Chief Minister’s buffalo rearing programme.

He said that farmers were incentivised towards commercial buffalo by the assistance they received for the improvement of sheds and purchase of buffaloes. 

Local Kaushalyadevi Joshi is rearing four buffaloes.

Kaushalyadevi, who had been rearing one buffalo, is now rearing four after purchasing additional three with the fund supported by Veterinary Hospital and Animal Services Expert Centre.

She said that she is getting a good income from selling milk.

Another local Manmati Joshi is rearing one buffalo.

She has been selling four liters of milk in the morning and earning her livelihood to manage household expenses.

She has been selling milk at the rate of Rs. 50 per litre.

Farmer Sharmananda Joshi said that he was attracted to buffalo farming because of the moral support of the office chief Bhatta along with the finances of the Veterinary Hospital and Animal Services Expert Centre.

He said he joined the venture with the aim of reducing the rising unemployment in the village. 

Milk selling has now become a good source of income for the locals. To make things even sweeter, not only has farming been improved with newly available buffalo dung, the demand for milk in the market has also been met.