An overview of Indian livestock and meat sector

Abstract

Large livestock wealth coupled with strong consumer base fuels greater prospects for meat production and processing in India. Meat sector in India is growing at 6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and immensely contributes to national food and nutritional security, economy as well as employment generation. Effective interventions like using genetically superior animals for breeding, improved feeding and husbandry management, reducing the mortality rate, linking producers to market, creating better infrastructure for animal welfare, meat production and quality testing, minimizing the post-harvest losses, implementing food safety management system, increased value addition and further processing of meat and byproducts, establishment of traceability and creation of disease free zones and e-marketing will play key roles in the shaping the meat sector development in the country. Effective implementation of both Central and State Government schemes and programmes is expected to enhance quantitative and qualitative improvement in livestock and meat production systems in a sustainable and environment friendly manner. Further, strong public-private-producer partnership by connecting producers, input-suppliers, service providers, financial institutions, retailers and exporters will reduce the risk and ensure prosperity of the meat sector.