Punjab government focusing on livestock

Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Board (PLDDB) is considering a total overhaul of the dairy and livestock sector to turn it into a $5 billion industry with in the next 5-6 years. The recently established PLDDB will impart professional training to artificial inseminators and women livestock extension workers to tap the full potential of livestock and dairy sector.
PLDDB Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Maj Gen (r) Muhammad Ali Khan made these remarks while speaking to a select group of journalists. Khan disclosed that PLDDB is all set to initiate a crash course for artificial inseminators and women livestock extension workers from 1 August. He indicated that PLDDB would not only offer professional training to young professionals, but would also give Rs3,000 stipend during the training period. After completing the course trained individuals would be given Rs7,000 stipend, a motorcycle, a mobile phone and an insemination kit. Similar training would be given to women livestock extension workers. In addition, PLDDB would help these livestock extension workers to set up livestock related food and vaccination shops in rural areas, PLDDB chief added.
Khan pointed out that the programme’s focus is on southern Punjab and it would be completed in three years. He pointed out that there was dire need of some 16,000 artificial inseminators, whereas only 900 trained inseminators were available. He indicated that this intervention would help Punjab to rapidly boost its milk and meat production.
Speaking about the potential of the livestock and dairy sectors, PLDDB chief said that agriculture sector in country has over 23 per cent share in the GDP, of which livestock contributed 53 per cent. He believed that it is one of the most neglected production sectors as the country is spending around a sum of Rs115 billion on agriculture and Rs15-16 billion on livestock. It clearly shows the potential of this sub-sector as even with negligible investment the sector is producing $10-12 billion worth of milk per annum and meeting the protein requirement of the country, he underscored.
Khan said that though Pakistan was the third largest milk producer in the world, it still has to import some $200 million worth of milk every year. He estimated that the country suffers a milk shortage of some 30-35 million tonnes annually and it would increase further in the future.
Highlighting the impediments in the development of livestock and dairy sector, he pointed out that public perception about the livestock and dairy sector was the biggest challenge as it is believed that professions related to animals and livestock were less dignified as compared to other professions. It should be realised that without livestock and dairy development, the country could never meet its milk and protein requirements.
He underscored that availability of quality animal food and vaccination was another big challenge. He pointed out that the country had a requirement of some 200 million tonnes of green fodder, but it hardly produced 44 million tonnes which badly affects animal health and quality of milk and meat.
Khan also disclosed that some six million animals remained without insemination due to non-availability of semen and livestock professionals, which was badly affecting livestock growth.
Responding to a query, he said that the Punjab government has already released Rs250 million for intervention in the livestock and dairy sector through PLDDB and it had committed to give a further Rs500 million per annum for the next five years to exploit the potential of the livestock sector.
Khan said that PLDDB has planned to launch a number of other interventions too, which included genetic improvement of non-descript cattle herd for higher productivity, accelerated promotion of livestock in the corporate sector for exploiting the consumer market potential, establishment of state of the art semen producing units (SPUs), preservation and genetic upgrading of local breeds to meet international standards.
PLDDB General Manager Field Services Dr Naveed Niazi was also present on this occasion. He lamented that it was unfortunate that Pakistan has a negligible share in world meat trade of around $1.3 trillion and the halal meat trade of $634 billion. India alone, despite being a Hindu-majority country, was exporting $20 billion halal meat to Malaysia, he pointed out.