Karnataka: Drought-hit but farmers reap profit from goat farming

Hubballi: Facing a recurring drought situation and fluctuation in the price of agriculture produce, many farmers are shifting to goat farming in Bagalkot district.

Farmers and sugarcane growers are finding it more lucrative because of the Bakrid festival when goats are sacrificed in every household of the Muslim community. A large numbers of farmers are slowly switching to the occupation as it has changed the lives of several farmers who earn 2-3 times higher revenue.

They visit Rajasthan every year to buy the most popular Sirohi goat which is a medium sized breed. Small and marginal farmers buy at least hundred goats.

They rear the animals in sheds built in their land for a year until the next festival. People of the Muslim community order the goats in advance as the breed weighs 80 to 120 kg. The cost of rearing the goat is more economical for farmers as they feed the animals with fodder and maize grown in their farmland. Moreover, these goat breeds will adjust to all types of climate conditions and vaccination costs are cheaper.

“We spend around Rs 9,000 to buy each baby goat weighing 10-15 kgs from Jaipur in Rajasthan. The Sirohi breed grows faster and its weight increases to 80-120 kg in a year. We will sell it for a price of Rs 25,000. This will be sold for even Rs 30,000 each as Muslims prefer buying these goats. I have earned Rs 6 lakh revenue by investing Rs 3 lakh within a period of nine months,” said farmer Shekhar Uttur who hails from Mudhol town.

Several sugarcane growers in Bagalkot district are destroying their standing crops owing to fall in price and failure of sugar mill to pay their arrears. They fear the trend will continue due to availability of abundant sugar stock in the country. Therefore, they are shifting to goat farming and other multi-crop systems.