SHEEP, GOAT, PIGGERY DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

Livestock Sector not only provides essential proteins and nutritious human diet through milk,
eggs, meat etc., but also plays an important role in utilization of non-edible agricultural by-
products. Livestock also provides raw material byproducts such as hides, skin, blood, bone, fat
etc. Small ruminants and piggery in Indian tropical and subtropics play a critical role in
agricultural economy by producing wool, meat, milk and provide flexible reserves during period
of economic stress and buffer against crop failure. Sheep rearing is the major source of
livelihood to small and marginal farmers and landless laborers in hilly areas, arid and semi-arid
region of India. Goat is a multi functional animal and plays a significant role in the economy
and nutrition of landless, small and marginal farmers in the country. Together they create
employment to the rural poor besides effectively utilizing unpaid family labor. There is ample
scope for establishing cottage industries based on goat and pig meat and value addition to skin
and fiber.

Status of meat sector in West Bengal

The state has been a leader in production of Goat meat. As per Livestock Census 2012, the
population of Small Ruminants, Pigs & Rabbits in West Bengal is as under:

Table 5.8
Status of meat sector
(No. lakh)
Small Ruminants Pigs
Goats Sheep Total
115.06 10.76 125.82 6.48

The State of West Bengal ranks 2nd in the production of Sheep & Goat meat but there still
exists a wide gap between demand and production of meat as the majority of the people in
this State are non-vegetarian. The total meat production in the State was 6.85 Lakh M.T.
during the year 2015-16 and 7.06 lakh MT during the year 2016-17 and 7.45 lakh Metric ton
in the year 2017-18 while the internal requirement had been estimated much higher. The
production of meat increased from 6.10 Lakh MT in 2011-12 to 7.45 Lakh MT in 2017-18.The
per capita meat availability is estimated at 20.5 gm/day for 2018-19.The total budgetary
allocation for Goatery and piggery for 2019-20 is Rs. 26.00 Cr and Rs. 1.39 Cr respectively.
The govt. aims to distribute 1 lakh goat to SHG members and 3000 piglets to 1000
beneficiaries.

Infrastructure Available

The common infrastructure available in the State for livestock development has been
described in the chapter on Dairy Development. Besides, the other items of infrastructure for
the development of this sector available in the State are as follows:-
Fodder Farm:

(i) Haringhata Farm (Main & North), (ii) Kalyani Farm, naiad, (iii) Fulia Fodder Farm,
Nadia, (iv)Salboni Fodder Farm -1 & 2, PaschimMedinipur, (v) Beldanga Fodder Farm,
Murshidabad, (vi) Kotalpur Fodder Farm, Bankura, (vii) Ranjitpur Farm, Bankura, (viii)
Lokepur Farm, Bankura, (ix) Baligori Fodder Farm, Hooghly, (x) Katwa Fodder Farm,
Burdwan, (xi) Rasulpur, Fodder Farm, Burdwan, (xii) Jhatiakhali Farm, Jalpaiguri, (xiii)
Pedong Fodder Farm, Darjeeling, (xiv) Dungra Fodder Farm, Darjeeling.

Performance of Fodder Farm (2015-16):

Sl. Name of the Area of Area Irrigated Production

No. Farm the under Land Green Seed
Farm Cultivation [inHec.] Fodder
[inHec.] [inHec.] (M.T.) (M.T.)
1. Haringhata Farm 457.59 112.09 64.00 4590.881 -
2. State Livestock 167.87 53.39 21.02 1541.245 -
Farm, Kalyani
3. C.S.A.H.F., 302.00 61.00 25 1043.480 10.045
Salboni
4. FRDTC, 10.93 9.25 8.75 1.59 2.05
Jotiakhali,
Jalpaiguri
5. Kotulpur Fodder 21.59 16.23 5.69 400.131 0.11
Farm, Bankura
6. Beldanga Fodder 5.42 5.32 3.44 296.460 -
Farm
TOTAL :- 965.40 257.28 127.90 7873.787 12.205

Govt. Sheep Farm:

(i) Sheep Breeding Farm, Kalyani, Nadia, (ii) Sheep Farm, Lokpur, Bankura, (iii) Sheep
Extension Centre, Ranjitpur, Bankura, (iv) Sheep Breeding Farm (Garole Sheep), Kalyani,
Nadia.

Govt. Goat Farm:

(i) Goat Farm, SBF, Kalyani, Nadia.(ii) Goat Farm, CSCS, Bishnupur, Bankura.(iii) Goat
Farm, SLF, Kalyani, Nadia.(iv) Goat Farm, Haringhata, Nadia.(v) Goat (Black Bengal) Farm,
Kotulpur, Bankura.(vi) Goat Farm, Baramullah, Suri, Birbhum.
Rabbits Farms:
Rabbit Breeding Farms- Fourteen at Contai (Medinipur), Medinipur, Kalyani (Nadia),
Gobardanga (North-24-Parganas), Baramahulla, Suri (Birbhum), Bankura, Baliguri
(Hooghly), Mohitnagar (Jalpaiguri), Purulia, Beldanga (Murshidabad), Naxalbari
(Darjeeling), Bardhaman, Durgapur (Bardhaman), Coochbehar.

Processing Facilities for sheep/goat/rabbit products

There are two modern abattoirs at Durgapur (Bardhaman) and Mourigram (Howrah). The
management and supervision of these abattoirs is with West Bengal Livestock Development
Corporation.

Besides this, there are 11 registered slaughter houses: Darjeeling (4) Uttar Dinajpur (1),
Murshidabad (1), Kolkata (3), Purulia (1), Bardhaman (1) and 21,063 unregistered slaughter
houses (meat shops for animals/birds) are in the State.

Export potential for livestock products:

Though there are potentials for chevon and cara-beef export from the State, there are no
significant achievements regarding export as on date as there is no APEDA certified
processing facility.

Areas of concern

The areas of concern for the development of this sector are

 Average productivity of meat producing animals is comparatively low as one goat

contributes 7 kg meat, a sheep 7.7 kg and a pig 20.9 kg
 Availability of good quality Black Bengal goat breed, sheep and pig breed is essential for
proper functioning of the above schemes.
 Capacity Building of farmers through extension, publicity, training, exposure visits is
needed.
Major Recommendations

The major recommendations are

 Improving fodder and fodder seeds availability and utilization of unconventional

fodder
 Supply of improved males of sheep, goat and pig particularly to SHG
 Creating awareness among the farmers about the Government support through these
schemes and taking up these farming as another main income as dairy and poultry.
 Strengthening the state animal husbandry infrastructure to support the grounding of
new schemes in these sectors.
 Strengthening and expansion of existing Pig Breeding Farms for adequate supply of
Piglets to new and prospective entrepreneurs.
  Creating marketing infrastructures for Pork and Rabbit meat

Action points for State Government

 West Bengal is highest producer of meat and also largest consumer of meat. It is the
main rearing State of Black Bengal Goat which has a high demand in export market.
Moreover bovine meat produced in the State are routinely exported through other
states as there is no APEDA certified slaughter house in the State. Hence, setting up a
modern abattoir, certified by APEDA may be a viable proposition. Accordingly a Large
modern abattoir in the Durgapur area may be set up by private sector or in PPP mode.

 State government must put special emphasis on establishing State breeding farms in
the potential areas in good no. to increase the availability of kids of goat and sheep and
piglets to the beneficiaries for further rearing. These rearing units can be supported
under centrally sponsored schemes: National Livestock Mission-IDSRR and Pig
Development schemes through bank linkage.
 State Government must provide the training support and capacity building programme
through State functionaries, KVKs, NGOs etc.
 West Bengal Livestock Development Corporation may give special emphasis on
providing the necessary marketing support to the livestock products especially for Pork
and Rabbit meat.
 State Government may build up other necessary infrastructures through support from
RIDF in the potential areas like veterinary hospitals etc. to provide veterinary care to
livestock.
 Community based goat farming through SHG women may be encouraged in
convergence with other Central/State schemes viz. MGNREGA, RKVY etc.
 Routine vaccination for PPR, Goat Pox and periodic de-worming at minimal rate to be
ensured through semi-skilled para-veterinary workers.

Action Points for Banks

 Increasing the credit flow to Goatery and Piggery sector through National Livestock
Mission ensuring adequate market linkages.
 Financing more no .of units for establishment of goat and sheep breeding units and
rearing units, Pig rearing and breeding units for increasing the meat production.
 Financing more no. of units under SHG/JLG mode so that more number of goat, sheep
and pig farms can be established in a particular area and meat production can be
increased substantially.
 Banks can take help of established Farmer’s Clubs, good working NGOs to reach to the
distant areas for financing more no. of units under this sectors.
 Banks may explore the opportunity to finance on a cluster mode through
shepherd/traditional goat farming community under area development/banking plan.

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