Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Thursday, Dec 12, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Thursday, Dec 12, 2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
Agri-Biz & Commodities
-
Wool Rearing wool-breed sheep in jails G. Gurumurthy
COIMBATORE, Dec.11 THE regional office of the Textile Commissioner at Coimbatore that is working to promote wool production in the South has sought to rope in an unconventional terrain for its wool development programme. The Textile Commissioner's office here in association with the State Animal Husbandry Department and the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute in Kodaikanal has hit upon the idea of engaging the prisoners in the Coimbatore Central Jail and the inmates at the Open Jail campus at Ondipudur in the city's peripheral in rearing wool-breed sheep. The vast grazing lands available within the jail premises and the strength of prisoners in both the jail campuses willing to take up wool-bred animal rearing are the driving force behind these government institutions scouting for a helping hand from the local prison authorities. "We held an interface with the jail inmates at the Open Jail campus at Ondipudur last week with the support of the Jail authorities on the sheep rearing and wool production and the prisoners too were convinced of the usefulness of the activities," said Mr Nagesh Mugadur, Officer-in-Charge, office of the Textile Commissioner here. The viability of rearing the high wool yielding `Bharat-Merino' sheep by the jail inmates were explained by the Principal Scientist at the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Mannavanur, Kodaikanal. Top jail officials including the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, Coimbatore, Mr B.M. Ezra, was present at the interface. Besides the vast grazing lands and the skill of the prisoners in the jail premises, the Coimbatore Central Prison housing a textile weaving unit and certain allied activities like sizing and warping being undertaken by the prisoners have also added strength to the Textile Ministry officials' scouting for wool sheep rearing by the Coimbatore-based jail campuses. According to Mr Mugadur, his department along with the Mannavanur Sheep Research Institute and the animal husbandry department would shortly prepare a project report for introducing a regular training programme in sheep rearing for the prisoners on the two jail premises and the same would be sent to the Central Government for necessary support. The Textile Commissioner's office is planning to encourage introduction of the high wool yielding `Bharath-Merino' sheep breed in key traditional sheep rearing centres in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to enhance the quality wool and woollen production as it feels the local sheep breeds in these rearing centres yield low and inferior wool leading to low price realisation to the sheep rearers. The Bharat-Merio breed gives an average 2.5 kg raw wool per animal per year with a higher fibre content compared to the local breed sheep whose average wool output is around 500 grams per year per animal.
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
|
Stories in this Section |
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | Home |
Copyright © 2002, The
Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu Business Line
|