Annual Poultry Production in Kashmir Valley to increase

INDIA - With the clearance of eight new poultry cooperative projects, annual production in Kashmir Valley is expected to increase to 26 lakh birds this year. Approval from National Council for Cooperative Development (NCDC) for 48 poultry projects with an investment of Rs 13 crore was in the pipeline, State Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Aziz Zargar said today. Addressing breeders, the minister said efforts were underway to achieve self-sufficiency in poultry in the state. He said the cooperative departement, in a bid to tap the vast market potential of white meat in the state, has registered 400 poultry cooperative societies during last two years, of which 56 projects worth Rs 21 crore stand submitted to the NCDC for financial approval. Zargar assured full assistance from the government to the poultry breeders and said the industry had emerged as a viable business activity in the state as heavy tourist influx coupled with increasing preference for white meat has increased import of poultry birds to 2.16 crore annually from 1.60 crore birds during last two years, generating business of about Rs 200 crore.

6 July 2005