Uvas Holdsstakeholders Consultativemeeting Todevelop 100 Dayagenda Of Prime Ministerfor Revamp Of Livestock Sector

The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore organized a meeting of the Livestock Emergency Subgroup under the theme of Prime Minister’s 100 days agenda to develop concrete plan for revamp of livestock sector, here at the City Campus Lahore on Wednesday

LAHORE (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Sep, 2018 ) The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore organized a meeting of the Livestock Emergency Subgroup under the theme of Prime Minister’s 100 days agenda to develop concrete plan for revamp of livestock sector, here at the City Campus Lahore on Wednesday.

Former Secretary Livestock & Dairy Development Department Punjab (L&DD) Nasim Sadiq and UVAS Vice-Chancellor Meritorious Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha co-chaired the meeting while representatives of the Federal government, officials of L&DD departments of all provinces, Punjab Breeding Authority, Pakistan Dairy Association, Buffalo Breeders Association (Punjab), Corporate Dairy Farmers Association of Pakistan , Pakistan Tanners Association, Dairy & Cattle Farmers Association, Meat Export Association of Pakistan, Pakistan Poultry Association, progressive farmers and a large number of stakeholders, academicians and researchers from across the country attended meeting. Nasim Sadiq and Prof Pasha sought suggestions and technical input from stakeholders for making national livestock policies/plansto develop a concrete plan to deliver on the Prime Minister’s commitment to “Revamp Livestock Sector”. Speaking on the occasion, Nasim Sadiq said that it is direly needed to enhance our indigenous fodder productivityand vaccine production to enhance livestock productivity in country.He said it is also needed to organise livestock census in all provinces of Pakistan. He said that livestock industry would be the biggest industry of Pakistan due to its potential. He said that in recent years,livestock sector grew due to prevention of deadly diseases like foot and mouth, HS, PPRthrough guidance of farmers for their profitability and creating awareness among consumers about safe/healthy and high quality food due to combined efforts of Livestock Department and UVAS. Prof Pasha said the federal government is actively working for revamp of livestock sector and this meeting is an effort to this end.

He said that the aim of the meeting was to provide a platform to stakeholders including farmers, meat exporters, service providers, poultry, dairy & meat industrialistsin public and private sectorswhere they can forward their technical inputs and share their issues, impediments, problems which are hurdles in revamp of livestock sector. He also recommendedstarting a school milk programme by providing schoolchildren to healthy foods like glass of milk and egg daily in their class rooms to solve the malnutrition issues of Pakistan. Various issues related to increase in productivity of dairy and meat farms, productivity of small dairy farms, poor milk and milk-based product quality, poor meat quality and lesser demand for products which can boost the sector discussed. An open discussion was held where all participants put forward suggestions forstrengtheningdairy, meat and livestock sectors in country. They called for imposing banon the import of whey and dry milk powder. The meeting participants demanded appointment of an animal husbandry commissioner and animal advisory service for the facilitation of farmers, reducing the cost of milk production & feed cast.They also called for making a milk regulatory policy by adopting minimum pasteurization law policy to identify that where milk is collected from. They recommended price decapping of meat&farmers incentives, reducing feed cost and various taxes imposed on industry and exports,strengthening progeny testing programme, which isdirely needed to set the standards of quality milk and zero tolerance on the sale of adulterated milk. Breed associations must be constitutedat union council level to work actively to enhanceproductivity of cow and buffalo milk.They called for improving genetics of our local dairy animal breeds. They also demanded 10 percent premium on export of livestock, poultry and dairy items andcreating awareness among farmers and consumers through mediaand preparing viable farmer-friendly policies for the profitability of poor farming community.