Telangana to be meat hub

Telangana to be meat hub
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Highlights

While the saffron brigade is going blah blah over clampdown over meat trade in the north, the Telangana government is moving towards making the state a hub for meat exports. 

KCR schools Collectors on making state a meat exporter

Hyderabad: While the saffron brigade is going blah blah over clampdown over meat trade in the north, the Telangana government is moving towards making the state a hub for meat exports.

The plan was discussed threadbare during the morning session of the Collectors’ Conference held at Pragathi Bhavan on Monday.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, while reiterating the need to strengthen the rural economy, made it clear that District Collectors should ensure that the state becomes a great meat exporting state.

During the course of discussions, KCR elicited the views, suggestions and opinions of the Collectors on the move and declared that sheep-breeding will become a permanent feature and ‘what is initiated now is only sowing seeds for a greater tomorrow.’

Initially, the sheep-breeding may create wealth of only Rs 20,000 crore in the next two years, but ultimately it will touch the sky, he said.

It may be mentioned here that the state stands sixth place in meat exports in the country. The total exports in 2015-16 was about Rs 101 crore and 75 per cent of it was to Vietnam followed by Thailand, UAE, Kuwait, etc.

The people of Telangana prefer meat from sheep over goat unlike north Indians who prefer goat meat.
The state of Telangana, Hyderabad in particular, is the place of highest consumption of meat in the country. Although Telangana stands at second position in sheep population, it is not self-sufficient in catering to the meat demand.

In the twin cities alone, there is a shortage of 60 tonnes of meat everyday being met by import of 5,000-6,000 live animals from other states. The demand for ‘mutton’ may be as high as 12,000 -15,000 animals on Sundays/festive days which are met by import of sheep from other states.

In the backdrop of this situation, KCR said the state has a sheep population of about 44 lakh according to Sakala Janula Survey. Another 84 lakh sheep will be purchased from outside the state.

Each unit consists of 21 sheep and expenditure on each unit is about Rs 1.25 lakh. Of this, 75 per cent (Rs 93,750) is subsidy from the government and the rest 25 per cent (Rs 31,250) will be borne by the individual beneficiary.

He said 4.5 lakh beneficiaries are to be identified. Membership fee is Rs 51 per person and the eligibility is that the person should be above 18 years of age and should be from the shepherd community, the CM explained.

KCR wanted the Collectors to decide whether to form new societies or the existing ones can extend new membership. “I leave the matter to the Collectors.” he said, adding that MRO/MPDO and veterinary doctors will form a team to buy sheep from other states.

One mobile van is provided in each Assembly segment for the mobile vet clinic and procurement of sheep will begin from June 20. On fodder, the CM said Stylo grass could be grown on the forest lands and the lands owned by the shepherds.

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