India falls short on its potential to meet world protein needs through livestock

NEW DELHI: With the largest livestock population in the world India has the potential to meet the world protein demand very easily,thus also improving upon the economic levels of animal breeders, meat workers, processors and exporters.

However, a lot more needs to be done to modernise this sector. This was stated here today at the inaugural session of National Conference for Mayors by junior minister for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Harish Rawat.

Production of meat and meat products has been steadily growing at the rate of 4% per annum while meat exports have been growing at close to 30% per annum in terms of quantity. Despite this, exports of value added meat products were insignificant.

The Minister said “Now in the era of Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM), the real challenge (to municipalities) is to improve the around 3500 municipal slaughterhouses located in semi-urban areas and also to establish mini slaughterhouses in rural areas."

The food processing ministry runs a scheme to give grants for construction and modernization of slaughterhouses in such cases.

The Conference was organized by the National Meat & Poultry Processing Board for the benefit of meat and poultry sector of the country and also for making decisive efforts for production of hygiene and nutritious meat and poultry products.

Mayors, Municipal Commissioners, Chairman of APEDA and experts from meat and poultry sector took part in the daylong deliberations.