Steep rise in meat production in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh has registered a steep rise in meat production.

Meat output was 11,400 tonnes in the 2002-03 fiscal when the Congress was ruling the State and it increased to 14,800 tonnes in 2003-04, when the BJP came to power in the State, according to the State's animal husbandry Directorate figures.

The production swelled to 16,000 tonnes in FY 2004-05, 19,400 tonnes in fiscal 2005-06, 20,000 metric tonnes in FY 2006-07, the figures reveal.

The figures rose to 20,600 tonnes in 2007-08 and jumped drastically to 34,200 tonnes in fiscal 2008-09, and to 36,100 tonnes in FY 2009-10, it states.

Meat production figures for the last fiscal are being collected and the figure will be out in two or three months, animal husbandry statistics, the Assistant Director, Mr R.P. Bilthare, said.

However, the State Government's lack of interest in developing the industry can be gauged from the fact that Madhya Pradesh, which has the country's highest livestock, doesn't have any meat processing industry.

In fact, the Government's industrial promotion policy-2010 has placed the meat-based industry in the list of ineligible category.

Pork processing unit

With meat production shooting up in Madhya Pradesh, a Canadian company is keen on setting up a pork processing unit in the State.

The company has even sought details of health regulations regarding the pork processing industry from the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, its resident Director, Mr Rajendra Kothari, confirmed.

He said that Madhya Pradesh has the highest livestock population of around 7.2 crore in the country.

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