Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday jointly chaired a high-level review meeting of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors of Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar.
Photo:SNS
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday jointly chaired a high-level review meeting of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors of Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar.
The Union Minister underlined the immense untapped potential in J&K’s livestock and fisheries sectors and assured full support from the Centre.
“We are here today to listen, understand your challenges, and work together. Where there is scope, there must be action,” he stated.
He called for joint efforts between the Centre and the J&K government to convert potential into outcomes, adding that rural prosperity can only be achieved when economic development reaches the grassroots through sustainable livelihoods.
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The Union Minister said that encouraging youth to enter micro and small-scale livestock and fishery enterprises can generate employment and inclusive growth.
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He informed that a detailed plan is being drawn up involving key national institutions like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) to build strong infrastructure and link farmers to markets.
He also announced the government’s intention to hold an Exporters’ Conference and a Private Sector Investment Conference in J&K to boost entrepreneurship.
Emphasising the need to shift dairy operations from the unorganised to the organised sector, the Minister stressed the importance of cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
He cited the example of dairy cooperatives in Varanasi, where milk production increased manifold, and additional income was earned even from cattle waste. He urged J&K’s officials to study and replicate such successful models.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah thanked the Union Minister for his visit and reiterated the significance of such joint reviews in identifying local priorities and learning from national best practices.
He observed that in J&K, large industries and factories have not always yielded sustainable results, and the real opportunity lies in strengthening traditional sectors like agriculture, horticulture, livestock, fisheries, and tourism. “Our strength lies in these sectors, not in chasing elusive factories. We must build on what is rooted in J&K,” he said.
The Chief Minister highlighted that while J&K contributes 90% of India’s trout production, the sector lacks organised processing and value addition. Similarly, despite high per capita meat consumption, much of the mutton is sourced from outside.
He emphasised that self-sufficiency in meeting domestic demand can significantly improve incomes and reduce imports. He also spoke about the gradual decline of cooperatives in the dairy sector and assured that his government is committed to reviving cooperative culture and linking milk producers to formal processing networks.
He appreciated the Union government’s support and assured that all valuable suggestions made during the review would be implemented with sincerity and urgency.
During the event, the Union Minister and Chief Minister virtually inaugurated a 50,000 litres per day Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Milk Plant at Jammu, and held interactions with progressive dairy farmers, who shared their experiences of improved incomes and organised procurement process through cooperative societies.
It was resolved to implement joint strategies for infrastructure expansion, market linkages, entrepreneurship development, and the revival of cooperatives — all aimed at building a resilient rural economy.
Earlier, Principal Secretary Shailendra Kumar gave a detailed presentation on the performance of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Departments, noting that the sectors contributed Rs 12,634 crore—6.25% of J&K’s GDP.
The livestock population includes 24.54 lakh cattle, 31 lakh sheep, 15 lakh goats, and 73 lakh backyard poultry, with annual milk production at 2,875 TMT and trout accounting for 90% of the national output.
It was noted that the Rs 5,013 crore Holistic Agriculture Development Programme includes Rs 1,364 crore for livestock and fisheries, aiming at self-sufficiency in milk, mutton, and eggs. More than 1,800 Pashu Sakhis have been deployed, and 500 hydroponic fodder units are being set up to address green fodder needs.
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