Cattle markets ban had caused loses among farmers in eastern province
It was all smiles on faces of Nyagatare residents as cattle markets and Butcheries were opened after a long cattle ban that rocked the district, causing severe losses.
Livestock farmers and traders in the districts of Nyagatare and Gatsibo had counted are counting losses as foot and mouth disease that infected livestock in area some months ago continued to escalate.
The disease attacks the feet of livestock, paralyzing their limbs.
In a mini survey carried out the most affected sectors in Nyagatare, residents, farmers and Livestock traders spoke in jubilation.
In Musheri sector, the mostly affected by the disease, proprietors of butcheries, dairies and livestock markets said they had been forced to close shop to meet a quarantine slapped by the Ministry of Agriculture to contain the disease.
“We used to collect 1,000 liters of milk daily from Musheri, but we went loosing milk supply day by day. But in just a week after the ban was lifted, things are getting back to normal,” Alex Ruhumuriza, a Butchery proprietor in Nyamiyonga cell said.
Olive Mukamurenzi, who was buying meat at a Butcher in the Rwentanga village of the same sector, said that: “Meat lovers had gone missing their best dish for so long. But the long queue here can tell.”
Losses incurred
“I used to earn Rwf5, 000 from one cow per day. I have four farm laborers, but I had to lay them off,” Leonidas Ruburika, who runs Ubumwe Butchery, said.
“The disease has left bitter tastes in the mouths of farmers and businesspersons in the district. Children hardly went back to Schools since farming is our only economic base,” Said Jane Mukarusagara, a cattle farmer in Tabagwe sector.
Nyagatare district has two cattle markets per month where each cow entering the market earns the district Rwf2, 000 in tax, meaning that lots of cash has lost in revenues on a Monthly basis.
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