Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked the Animal Husbandry Department and livestock farmers to push for a 25 per cent growth in the livestock sector.
Launching the first State Government Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Oocyte aspiration (Ovum pick-up – OPU) facility in the country here on Friday, the Chief Minister said the current growth rate of livestock in the State was 15 per cent and it should be pushed up to 25 per cent. Fisheries registered a growth rate of 30 per cent.
He said that animal husbandry and livestock had tremendous potential for poverty alleviation. Even those without land could generate a monthly income of Rs.10,000 and surmount even drought if they had livestock.
The Andhra Pradesh Government would plan to provide fodder security to livestock . He said plans were being made to provide fodder to sheep and goats at 50 per cent subsidy.
The income from livestock in the State was more than that from agriculture and horticulture put together. Though horticulture was being done only in 30 per cent of the land, income from it was more than in agriculture, the Chief Minister pointed out.
“Food habits changing”
The Chief Minister said food habits of the people were changing. Many were changing from rice to millets and the demand for milk, meat and eggs was growing.
Lauding the JK Trust, a non-profit organisation for providing technology, know-how and infrastructure, Mr. Naidu said that the facility should be used to promote and protect indigenous breeds like Ongole and Pungunur cattle. He said the population of Pungunur breed had dropped drastically to 700. IVF and OPU would used to protect and promote it. Using IVF and OPU these vanishing breeds would be multiplied by 20 times, he said.
Special Chief Secretary Manmohan Singh, Animal Husbandry Director G. Somashekaram and Krishna Joint Director T. Damondhara Naidu were present.
