Milk production in Kashmir reaches 846.25 tons

Srinagar Feb 5: The milk production in J&K’s Kashmir Division has crossed 846.25 thousand tons as at the end of January 2009 which is higher as compared to the 751 thousand tons for the same period last year. 

“The increase in the production is due to the breed improvement and better care of the cattles”, an official of Animal Husbandry told News Agency of Kashmir adding the efforts put in by the Animal Husbandry Department through chain of centers with Frozen Semen facilities which conducted 2.83 lac Artificial Inseminations till January end. 

He said during the period total births of crossbreed calves were recorded whose net worth is placed at Rs 85.5 crores, besides the activating of AI programmer that has slowly and steadily helping in farmers’ empowerment and changing their fortunes. 

The department also immunized 15.66 lac animals and 69.45 lac poultry against various diseases till January end and manufactured 14.59 lac doses of various vaccines for livestock and poultry at its Biological Production Center at Zakura during the period. “The egg production in the division from backyard units was recorded at 320.93 million during the period and ten centrally sponsored schemes under execution in the division under at a cost of Rs 129.955 lac out of which Rs59.12 lac shave been spent so far”, the official quoting the meeting held with the Commissioner secretary Animal Husbandry at Jammu. 

“The department has recorded an expenditure of Rs110.02 lac out of Rs 365.87 lac capital outlay during the period besides several works are under execution and by middle of March 2009 the entire amount was being utilized”. The official said. 

Even as improvement in the living standard and rapid increase in human population, that dilutes the gains made in milk production, still there is no shortage of milk in the state even during times when roads get blocked due to inclement weather conditions, Sectary to government Animal Husbandry Department Ravi Thusoo observed in recently held meeting. 

The uninterrupted supply reflects the improvements in the milk production similarly there has been substantial improvement in broiler production in the division where more than 1367 farms which have come up in the organized sector. The farms produced 48 lac broilers and another 15 lac chicken came from the backyard production system leaving a gap of 107 lac Kgs of poultry meat. 

Redouble their efforts to see that the state becomes self-sufficient in poultry and poultry products and the poultry and dairy farming offer a great deal of employment potential for the unemployed youth, Thusoo who chaired review meeting which was attended by Dr A A Baba, Director, Animal Husbandry, Kashmir and Dr JL Mattoo, Chief Executive Officer, Kashmir Livestock Development Board.(NAK)