Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 26: Jammu Kashmir seems to be a main meat consuming state of the country where 15 lakh ruminants are imported annually.
An official document reveals that demand for the mutton is increasing with time and to meet it about 15 lakh small ruminants are imported into the state annually.
Similarly, the document says there is a requirement of 12 kg of poultry per person annually but the state faces a deficiency of 52 percent.
The main supply of mutton is imported from Rajasthan.
Kashmiris and people from several parts of Jammu are voracious meat eaters as compared to other Indian states. More than 80 percent of the population here are non-vegetarian.
The document however said that inadequate availability of feed and fodder, insufficient breeding coverage, low conception rates, non-availability of quality breeds, poor management practices, and high mortality and morbidity losses due to diseases, inadequate infrastructure / manpower and unorganized marketing are the other major concerns. Human population of JK comprises of 1 percent of India's population whereas livestock population of the state constitutes 1.79 percent of the country's livestock population (512 million).
It has pointed out widening gap between demand and production of poultry and poultry products in the state.
"However, due to high cost of egg production under intensive poultry rearing (layers) in temperate zones, dependence on import of feed ingredients, and higher cost for providing controlled farm conditions for egg production-development a region pacific dual purpose bird for backyard poultry sector merits considerations," it reads.
JK holds 77.14 of country's yak population, 20 percent of equine population and 5.21 percent of sheep population. The state stands first in Yak population, second in equines, fifth in sheep, six in donkeys, and 17th in poultry.
"Despite leading in numbers, the indicators emanating out of our livestock sector are a cause of worry. The engagement of people in this sector finally seems to have relegated to habits rather than robust economic activity," it reads.
To make state less dependent on imports, it has suggested that the cross breeding of local sheep shall be initiated in the uncovered areas.
It also pointed out that fodder scarcity, unorganized practices, smallholdings, disoriented pricing mechanisms, diminishing economic returns and ineffective regulatory mechanisms have further added to "woes" of the sector. |
