Livestock, Poultry Slaughter for Meat Down By 21% in Gujarat: NABARD

According to NABARD, quoting pre-Covid data, the number of livestock slaughtered for meat production has decreased from 2.99 crore in 2018-19 to over 2.34 crore in 2019-20, which includes buffaloes, goats, sheep, pigs, and poultry.

While the number of buffaloes slaughtered for meat increased by 24% and the number of pigs slaughtered for meat increased by 4.4% in 2019-20, the number of sheep, goats, and poultry slaughtered for meat production decreased by 24%, 18%, and 21%, respectively.

"Meat production in 2018-19 was 33.33 metric tonnes, which increased slightly to 33.46 metric tonnes in 2019-20. Except for pig and buffalo, there is an overall decrease in the number of animals slaughtered for meat," the focus paper stated, adding that the data on animals slaughtered is sourced from "registered slaughter houses only."

NABARD recommended the establishment of modern slaughter houses or skin or leather processing units in four districts of Ahmedabad: Junagadh, Banaskantha, and Aravalli. Officials from NABARD could not be reached for comment on the recommendations made to the Gujarat government.

The total egg production in Gujarat is expected to be 17,863 lakh eggs in 2020-21, a decrease from the previous year's production of 19,274 lakh eggs. "This requires focused attention from the state government and poultry sector," NABARD said of the state, where "desi" birds provide 22 percent of the eggs. The Bank also advised the state government to provide "subsidies for poultry feed" to aid in the development of the poultry sector.

According to the NABARD focus paper, Gujarat ranks 10th in terms of total livestock population in the country, citing the 20th Livestock Census Data. Overall, the total livestock population fell from 27.1 million in 2012 (according to the 19th livestock census) to 26.9 million in 2019 (according to the 20th Livestock Census).