Cattle breeders stocking up “fodder” for a long, bitter winter
The cattle breeders have begun to stock up fodder for their livestock’s need during the winter, depending on fodders mainly during the winter each year.
Mohamed El Ahmed / GIRÊ SIPÎ
At this time of the year, after the harvest season of wheat, barley and legumes, livestock breeders begin to gather hay and fodder, which is formed after the harvest of wheat and barley.
One of the things that drives them to collect these times of the year is the low prices for many crops, which is considered its season, unlike the winter, where the prices multiply.
The price per ton of hay is currently in the countryside of Ain Issa about 40,000 Syrian Pounds, and it may reach about 100 thousand SP during winter.
Winter is one of the longest seasons in which sheep pastures are few, forcing livestock farmers to feed their livestock in this season. Where farmers are forced to buy fodder at double prices in winter.
The costs involved in packing hay in bags may amount to about 30,000 S.P., and some farmers try to collect and sell it to livestock breeders, so that some of the costs associated with agriculture may be limited to a small amount of money.
Traders also contribute to raising their prices during the collection because of the prices they pay farmers to collect to earn additional profits during the winter.
"We are collecting hay at the time of harvest because it is suitable for winter, because of the need for our livestock, because it is the main meal in livestock feed," said Mohammed al-Issa, a livestock farmer.
"The quality of hay is not good because agricultural crops was subjected to rain in the summer, but we have to buy it and stock it up," he said.
"We are buying our cattle’s fodder in these days for their proportionate prices. We need storage because in the winter prices are doubling and it is difficult for us to buy it," said Ali al-Suleiman.
Ali Suleiman stressed that doubling the prices of fodder in the winter and the low prices of the livestock market are a major obstacle to the cost of fodder.
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ANHA
