KURNOOL: Brazilians may have bred the pride of

, the Ongole bull, by lakhs and even exported it to other countries. But here in droughthit areas of Andhra Pradesh, farmers are selling off their cattle for a pittance to clear farm debts.

Mallikarjuna, a farmer from C Belagal Mandal in Kurnool, bought the prized Ongole bull for Rs 1.05 lakh some years ago. He is now being offered Rs 70,000 for it. “I have debts of more than Rs 2 lakh. I have to sell the bull to pay. I have no choice.”

Weighing about 420 kg, the Ongole bull is tough, highly tolerant to heat and disease-resistant. But drought has taken a toll on its owners. And many farmers are selling oxen, including the Ongole bull and milch buffalos, for a lesser price than what they purchased for.

A visit to the agriculture market committee yard at Dhone town in

reveals how sale of cattle has gone up six times in 2018 compared with the 2017 season.

Farmers from Kurnool buying fodder from K’taka, T at double rate

In Nov 2017, 1,087 cattle were sold. One year on, at least 6,594 were sold in Nov 2018. While in Dec 2018 till date about 4,496 cattle were sold (against 1,877 in Dec 2017). One major factor is lack of fodder. Officials attributed that to drought but also blamed “fall armyworm”, an insect attack that has hit vegetation in the region.

Lorries with Tamil Nadu and Kerala registration numbers were seen at the market yard. Officials said they are taken out for the meat industry. “Cattle sale has increased manifold. Apart from Dhone, cattle is also being sold in Pebber in neighbouring Mahbubnagar district, and in Aluru,” said Dhone Agricultural Market yard secretary G Adinarayana. “Farmers have to go to paddy-growing regions in Telangana and Karnataka for fodder. Aged bulls and buffaloes are shipped out to Kerala in lorries for beef. Young and healthy cattle are sold to other areas for milching and ploughing,” he said, adding cows are not allowed to enter the yard. (Sale of cows is desisted due to religious reasons.) Kurnool animal husbandry department deputy director Dr Ramanaiah confirmed that compared to 2017 drought was widespread this year. “Crop failure due to prolonged dry season has made it worse for farmers. Fall armyworm, an insect that attacks maize and jowar, has reduced vegetation, leading to fodder deficiency this year,” he said.

Kurnool farmers are being forced to buy fodder from Karnataka and Telangana at double the rate. Fodder that normally costs ?8,000 a tractor is now selling for Rs 12,000-Rs 14,500 a tractor.

K Narasimhulu, a farmer from Kothapeta of

, who brought a milch buffalo and calf, said, “We don’t have fodder to feed the cattle. Fodder costs Rs 20 a kg. It is better to buy milk rather than to feed the animal. I bought the buffalo three months back. It gives two litres of milk a day. Crop in over 20 acres that my family owns has failed completely.”

Worse, farmers said that Karnataka government is booking cases against anyone going to

, Raichur and Siruguppa for fodder. The animal husbandry department of Karnataka and cops are not allowing AP farmers in as they fear that farmers in their state may also face fodder scarcity, officials said.