MULTAN, Oct 15 (APP): With undeterred population growth and ever increasing meat demand, there is dire need to promoting livestock sector in different parts of the country including South Punjab.
Making the most of livestock potential and giving this sector a special status with multiple incentives to those rearing cattle will help provide livelihood for local people and secure slots in international export market.
Since millions of Pakistanis are already in this business individually, streamlining their efforts by setting this business on modern lines would help a lot for exporting Halal meat particularly to Middle East countries.
Therefore, the rural areas in Punjab and Sindh and parts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can be validly focused to excel in this sector to support our economy.
“Pakistan has lot of potential in this sector and if properly focused, can help farmers to reap maximum benefits and make the country earn foreign exchange,” said Deputy Director Livestock South Punjab Dr Jamshaid Akhtar.
“We can significantly enhance the meat and milk production by focusing this sector,” he said. “The best semen quality could play vital role in improving animals’ health, milk and meat production.”
Livestock farming in South Punjab is an integral part of livelihood in the region as it contributes more than 28 percent of Pakistan’s milk production and is home to 43 percent of Punjab’s livestock animals.
Small farmers and poor families are already rearing cattle within their capacity to run their kitchen by selling milk, goats and sheep to meet their immediate cash demands.
Jamshaid informed that Livestock Department had launched various programs including calf fattening, save buffalo calf, advisory service, provision of free of cost animals and poultry units on subsidize prices.
“Our rural areas have ideal environment for cattle rearing and mechanized patronage of this sector and value addition to raw products could generate good results in terms of capital earning,” he said.
He said the exotic semen was available with the department for producing better animals besides Sahiwal and Cholistan breeds. “We are also offering hybrid grafting of millet to cattle farmers free of cost as an economical and long lasting fodder for the cattle.
Although almost every developed country has introduced modern techniques to flourish this sector yet we are still surviving with the primitive cattle rearing practices.
Since cattle rearing is not that much technical, even ordinary farmers and even women most performing as house wives can play an important role to flourish this sector.
“I was provided one cow by the Livestock department sometimes back. But, now I have six cattle heads,” informed Karam Mai a resident of Durab Pur village. “These cattle are immediate source of earning for me in the hour of need as I recently sold out a calf for Rs 120,000 to meet my urgent needs.”
Sughra Mai, another resident of the area was also provided one cow but now she has five animals. “We rear these animals traditionally to meet our daily life needs,” she informed as she had also sold out two male calves for Rs 300,000.
For most of those who are into cultivating agricultural land, it is easier to rear cattle and selling them as and when any need arises. But, setting this business on modern lives by imparting technical know to cattle rearing community can enhance meat and milk production as well as earning of the people.
Meanwhile, cattle farmers like Muhammad Zahid and Muhammad Hafeez have suggested the government to provide interest free loans to small farmers for promoting cattle breeding and award them state land as grazing fields.
“We have to set this business on modern lines to reap maximum benefits. But, it cannot be done without facilitating small farmers with financial assistance and technical knowhow,” they proposed.
According to the Livestock Department, the Multan district alone owns 3,611,964 big animals (Buffalo, Cow), 2,292,687 small animals (goats, sheep) and 1,525,416 rural poultry. However, rearing most of these animals is personal effort of the farmers and needs a holistic approach to expand this sector.
Deputy Director Livestock Dr Jamshaid also informed about a comprehensive plan launched by the federal government for developing agriculture and livestock in South Punjab through Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
“The Gulf countries have shown interest to invest in corporate farming through the SIFC to promote modern dairy and camel farming in South Punjab,” he said. “This initiative will lead to introducing modern farming and best breeds of animals in the region.”
Ranking fifth among the milk producing countries worldwide, Pakistan’s livestock sector has immense potential to alleviate poverty and earn foreign exchange.
But, what is urgently required is to protect our farmers’ rights who would be under severe threat of extinction with the entry of billionaires into this business as they were usurped by sugar, wheat and cotton mafias.
The government and our policy makers need to be aware of this challenge ensuring that local people are not washed away by the investment flooding to this sector.
APP/sak/maz (APP Feature Service)