The union Agriculture
Ministry has convened a conference of all the States and Union
Territories on February 3, 2003 in New Delhi in a bid to evolve
consensus on a comprehensive National Livestock Policy to effectively
address the challenges of WTO regime. The Conference of Ministers
of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries will deliberate on
the contents of the policy circulated by the union government.
Qualitative and quantitative improvement in livestock and livestock
products, use of modern technologies for breeding, nutrition and
health care have emerged as the major concerns in the context
of agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary standards (SPS) under
the WTO regime. The Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Ajit Singh
will inaugurate the conference.
The Conference will
also discuss animal disease control, breed improvement, development
of fodder for drought proofing implementation of Integrated Dairy
Development Programme in hilly and backward areas and revival
of sick milk unions, poultry and fisheries development.
The deliberations
will focus on the programmes and strategies to be followed in
the livestock sector, including fisheries, to realise the ambitious
GDP growth rate of 8 per cent per annum in the Tenth Five Year
Plan. Despite the potential in the livestock sector remaining
under exploited, the contribution of this sector to the GDP has
been continuously growing at 6 to 8 per cent growth rate as against
the 2 per cent growth rate in crop production. Despite the highest
milk production of 85 million tones during the last financial
year, the per capita availability of milk in the country is low
at 221 gms. per day as against the world average of 285 gms. per
day. Available estimates indicate a deficit of 61 per cent in
green fodder and 22 per cent in dry fodder with frequent droughts
further compounding the problem.
The Conference of
State Ministers will discuss the steps being taken by the states
and the interventions sought from the Union government to further
increase the production and productivity in the livestock sector.
