Theme is Steering Livestock to Food Security
Important talking points on Fishery, Dairy, Poultry, Fodder and Livestock Health are given below :
Talking Points - Fisheries
• India has a long coast line of 8118 km; a continental shelf of 0.5 million sq km; an Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.02 million sq km; about 1.24 million ha of brackish water area;1,91,024 km length of rivers and vanals 2.15 million ha of reservoirs; 2.25 million ha of ponds and tanks etc.
• India is the third largest producer of fish and the second largest producer of fresh water fish in the world.
• The present fish production is about 7.6 million tones(mt) comprising of 2.99 mt from marine and 4.61 mt from inland sector.
• The value of output from fisheries sector was estimated at Rs.42178 crore during 2007-08 which is about 4.72 % of the value of output from the Agriculture and allied sectors.
• Besides providing livelihood security to over 14 million people, the sector has been one of the major foreign exchange earners, with revenue reaching Rs. 8,636 crore in 2008-09 accounting for about 17% of the agricultural export. The contribution of fisheries sector is estimated at 1.07% to the GDP and 5.7% to the agricultural GDP.
• Aquaculture has emerged as an important farming activity transforming aquaculture from a traditional livelihood- support rural activity to profit oriented production system. The future development of aquaculture would depend upon improvements in new and adaptive research and management, especially in relation to emerging environmental issues and their mitigation. Thus the important challenges for aquaculture in India in the future are to ensure livelihoods, sustainability and profitability. Therefore, in order to support the development of fisheries and aquaculture, there is a need for realistic fisheries policy and need based fisheries research.
• There are a number of areas where private sector investments or projects in the PPP mode could be promoted. These areas include composite fish culture, ornamental fisheries, commercial venture of cage & pen culture, establishment of cold chain and infrafacilities, Post harvest technology and value addition, domestic marketing and management of fishing harbours, where participation by private sector could be invited.
Talking points –Dairy Development
• India ranks first among the world’s milk producing nations with the milk production of 108.50 million tonnes during 2008-09. The per capita availability of milk was 258 gm per day during 2008-09.
• Government of India is making efforts to increase the productivity of milch animals and thus increase the per capita availability of milk. Milk production and marketing system in India is unique. Most of the milk is produced by small, marginal farmers and landless labourers who are grouped into cooperatives at the village level. To provide them a steady market and a remunerative price for milk produced, about 13.90 million farmers have been brought under the ambit of about 1,33,349 village level dairy cooperative societies in the country as a part of Operation Flood Programme.
• Despite these strengths, Indian Dairy sector could not make any significant inroads in the global market due to several impediments. The quality of milk is a matter of concern which is now being addressed by all concerned. Most of the Dairy units are seriously looking into the improvement of sanitary and hygienic conditions by adopting ISO certification as well as HACCP programmes. The sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures are becoming mandatory for export and serious efforts have to be made to achieve the international standards to ensure quality export.
• In the post liberalization environment, investments in dairy sector especially in putting up manufacturing facilities have been made by private entrepreneurs as well as by multinational milk product companies. Hence private Sector, at present, utilizes most of their milk procured in the manufacture of milk powders, dairy whiteners, Infant foods, and ghee and to some extent the traditional Indian Dairy products. Only few of them market liquid milk, whereas, Co-operative & Public sector plants are discharging their social responsibility to meet the liquid milk requirements in the major cities and towns.
• Government has been implementing various dairy development schemes like Intensive Dairy Development Programme, Strengthening Infrastructure of Quality & Clean Milk Production, Assistance to Cooperatives & Dairy/Poultry Venture Capital Fund to cover left out areas and to popularize dairying as a source of livelihood. Government is also examining launching National Dairy Plan which is strategic plan with an outlay of Rs.17,371 crore to achieve a target of 180 million tonnes of milk production annually by 2021-22. Milk production is expected to grow at 4% with an annual incremental output of 5 million tonnes in the next 15 years. The plan envisages breed improvement through AI and through natural service, setting up plants to augment cattle feed, by -pass protein and mineral mixture. The plan also proposes to bring 65% of the surplus milk produced under organized sector for procurement as against the present 30%.
Talking Points – Poultry
• Poultry is an important sub-sector of the national livestock economy with a value of output from egg and poultry meat at Rs. 23,443 crore (at 2007-08 current prices). The Indian poultry industry has come a long way - from a totally unorganized to an industry operating on scientific lines to a large extent.
• Poultry utilizes substantial quantities of non-edible agricultural and industrial by-products and converts them into high quality, nutritious, protein-rich food. Eggs and poultry are among the cheapest source of animal protein.
• Presently India produces nearly 55.6 billion eggs per annum. Chicken meat production is about 2.49 million tons as per FAO data (2008). The annual per capita availability of eggs is anticipated to be around 47 eggs presently. This is much less than the recommended 180 eggs per capita per annum.
• India’s share of the world trade in poultry and poultry products is very small. However, the value of exports increased from nearly Rs.11.00 crores in 1993-94 to around Rs. 422 crores during 2008-09 as per Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
• Presently there are a lot of production pressures in the sector with heightened risks of emerging & re-emerging diseases, unavailability of crucial feed ingredients like maize and soya at reasonable prices, adverse effects of climate change etc. We have to further strengthen our veterinary services and infrastructure to cope up with early disease diagnosis and treatment, increase our genetic capabilities, improve nutrition and management etc in order to emerge as a competitive producer and exporter.
Talking Points –Feed & Fodder
• Livestock industry is the backbone of agriculture in our country and contributes significantly in the rural & agriculture economy.
• To meet the rising demand of milk, meat wool and other animal by-products, Govt. is laying emphasis on cross breeding of livestock to improve their genetic potential. But to have a proper output from the genetically improved livestock quality feeding is equally important.
• The 11th Plan Working Group on Feed & Fodder, NABARD and National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology has estimated shortages of feed & fodder in the country.
Talking points - Livestock Health
• A network of 27,562 Polyclinics / Hospitals / Dispensaries and 25,195 Veterinary aid Centers (including Stockmen Centers / Mobile Dispensaries), supported by about 250 Disease Diagnostic Laboratories, is functioning in the States and Union Territories for quick and reliable diagnosis of diseases. To provide referral services over and above the existing disease diagnostic laboratories in the States, one Central and five Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratories are also functioning.
• For control of major livestock and poultry diseases by way of prophylactic vaccination, the required quantity of vaccines are produced in the country at 27 veterinary vaccine production units. Of these, 21 are in the public sector and 6 in private sector.
• Efforts are also made to prevent ingress of diseases from outside the country, and maintaining of standards of veterinary drugs and formulations. At present, the Drugs Controller of India regulates the quality of veterinary drugs and biological in consultation with this Department.
• To supplement the activities of the State Governments, the Government of India is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, “Livestock Health and Disease Control”, where assistance is provided to states for prevention and control of various Livestock diseases of economic importance.
• India has been able to eradicate major diseases like Rinderpest, Contagious Bovine Pleuro-pneumonia and African Horse Sickness.
• Another important area in Livestock Health is the enactment of ‘The Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009’, which has some significant provisions to control animal diseases. The Act has been extended to all the States and Union Territories except U.P.
• The following measures have been taken up by the Government of India for control and containment of current Avian Influenza outbreak as well as to prevent its ingress into the country.
(i) Culling of entire poultry population in the affected zone of 0-3 Kms.
(ii) Continuous strengthening of preparedness to tackle any future eventuality in terms of upgradation of laboratories, training of manpower, stockpiling of materials for control and containment etc.
(iii) The training of veterinary personnel in preparedness, control and containment is continuing. More than 85% veterinary workforce in the country has been trained to handle control and containment operations.
(iv) Reserve of essential material for control operations have been developed and are being expanded further.
(v) Sensitization of general public on Avian Influenza through Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns.
(vi) Transparent approach towards reporting not only outbreaks but also information of unusual sickness/ mortality in poultry and results of laboratory diagnosis.
(vii) All the state governments have been alerted to be vigilant about the outbreak of the disease, if any.
(viii) Import of poultry and poultry products have been banned completely from HPAI positive countries.
(ix) Border check posts with neighboring countries have been strengthened.
(x) Guidelines issued to the states for further guidance to the poultry farmers.
