Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 27: Admitting hindrances, the State Government today said the dairy sector including farming and animal has a very good potential to grow in Jammu and Kashmir but it needs huge capital infusion.
In a written reply to MLC Ajatshatru Singh in Upper House, the Minister Incharge Animal/Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Department, stated that ‘the agro-climatic condition of the State is conducive for growth of Dairy sector, which has an assured market in the State, as the demand for milk and other livestock products in increased day by day’.
“However, there is no considerable growth in dairy sector and other animal husbandry activities due to two main reasons in the State viz deficiency of quality fodder/balanced ration and lack of commercialization of this sector,” the Government admitted but added that the department is actively engaged in development of the sector within the available sources accessible to it under CS and State plan for the last four decades.
The Government, however, said ‘it is also fact that full potential of the sector in the State need to be exploited, which can be accomplished by huge capital infusion in the sector through commercialization and value addition in the private sector’.
“This is evinced by the fact that as on date there is a huge import bill of more than Rs. 100 crore per year from the State for importing mutton and poultry products into the State,” the Government said in the reply. It further said that there has been an increase in the production of poultry meat and mutton in the State.
The Government said in order to promote and popularize dairy farming and animal husbandry in the State, the concerned department is establishing dairy units under various bankable schemes under CSS funding platform where 25/33% back ended subsidy is available. “Likewise sheep and goat units are being established under various State/CSS bankable schemes where 23/33% back ended subsidy is also available,” it said.
The Minister further stated that in order to reduce the huge gap of local production and demand of major livestock products, presently being met through imports, the department is in the process of framing long term strategy so as to attract capital investment in livestock sector and fodder development.
The Government revealed that there is no district/State plan scheme available under Dairy development where under the subsidies can be provided. “However, under Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the incentives/subsidies are being given to dairy entrepreneurs,” it added.
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