Huge potential for sheep rearing in Krishna dist says Dr M Koteswara Rao

Vijayawada: Krishna District Sheep and Goat Cooperative Union executive director Dr M Koteswara Rao said that there is a huge potential for growth of sheep rearing in Krishna district.

He said the district has only 6.50 lakh sheep compared to the districts like Anantapur district which has 46 lakh sheep.

He said sheep rearing is very beneficial to the farmers as the demand and consumption of sheep has been increasing in the state.

He addressed the executive body meeting of district-level Sheep Farmers Federation on Saturday at the office of the office of joint director of animal husbandry in Mutyalampadu.

Dr Koteswara Rao said demand and consumption of meat is growing in the state and doctors are suggesting the people to eat meat for various reasons and added that mutton became important item in the menu during the festivals, parties and other celebrations. He said one kg mutton is being sold between Rs 450 and Rs 500.

He said the government is sanctioning loans to the farmers under the National Cooperative Development Corporation. He said the government is sanctioning loan of Rs 1 lakh to the sheep rearers.

Dr Koteswara Rao felt that grazing land area should be increased in Krishna district to encourage the farmers.

He said 121 Sheep Farming Societies are functioning in the district and underlined the need to increase more societies.

Joint Director of animal husbandry department K Bharat Ramesh said sheep farming is profitable to the farmers. He said the government is giving subsidy of Rs 20,000 for each Rs 1 lakh unit and beneficiary contribution is Rs 20,000.

He said Rs 60,000 loan was sanctioned to purchase sheep with an interest rate of Rs 3 per annum.