The Hindu Business Line : `Oilmeal in compound feed will result in healthier livestock'

THE tremendous growth of poultry, milk, seafood and other animal products in the country will push up the demand for total feeds to 68 million tonne by 2010 from the present estimated demand of 42 million tonnes, according to Mr D.P. Khandelia, President, Solvent Extractors' Association of India.

In his address at the sixth national seminar for `Popularisation of Oilmeal Usage in Compound Cattle, Poultry and Aqua Feeds' here on Sunday, Mr Khandelia said to feed the growing population of animals and birds with nutritious diet containing all essential ingredients and micronutrients, it is necessary to utilise all available resources in agricultural production, animal husbandry and aquaculture.

The country has a large population of cattle, but still the milk output/yield per animal is lower than the international standards. Therefore, the need of the hour is to adopt the National Agriculture Policy for the development of animal husbandry, poultry, dairying and aquaculture so as to increase animal protein availability in the food basket and generate exportable surpluses, wealth and employment in the rural sector, he said.

He said agriculture as a whole contributed 24.2 per cent of the GDP out of which 5.9 per cent was contributed by animal husbandry and dairying. Dairying alone accounts for about two per cent of the total GDP and expected to surpass five per cent by 2010.

Meanwhile, poultry is showing consistent growth of 15 per cent over the last couple of years and the current size of the poultry industry stands at Rs 9,000 crore and is expected to touch Rs 30,000 crore in the next decade.

The aquaculture sector is also another significant segment of the livestock industry. The fisheries sector contributed 1.4 per cent of the total GDP and has a turnover of about Rs 19,000 crore.

To achieve these targets, the productivity of milk, eggs, fish, meat etc have to be increased and, hence, the seminar is focusing on the need for use of high-quality grade oilmeal usage in compound feeds, said Mr Khandelia.

In his address at the inaugural session, the Kerala Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy said efforts undertaken by SEA for popularising the oilmeal usage in compound feed achieved multi-pronged significance by promoting the pace of industrialisation, encouraging the coconut cultivation ad boosting the dairy industry in the State.

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