Sheep husbandry sector to improve with India-New Zealand MoU: ACS Atal Dulloo

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 1 : Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, today informed about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New Zealand. He stated that the sheep husbandry sector is going to be developed with world-class technology and expertise under the MoU between India and New Zealand.
He made the remarks while inaugurating a one-day Technical Workshop-cum-Seminar on 'Latest Technical Interventions in Sheep and Goat Husbandry Sector in the Union Territory at Kisan Bhawan. Prof JP Sharma, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST Jammu was the guest of honour at the occasion.
In his address, Atal Dulloo emphasised the need for breed improvement for increasing mutton production to meet the 40 per cent deficit in the union territory, according to the press release issued by Jammu and Kashmir's Department of information and public relations. He also called for improvements in germ plasm production through artificial insemination and embryo transfer technologies.
The ACS called for increasing healthcare outreach in alpine pastures and other remote regions of Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted the significant role of the development of new vaccines. Atal Dulloo spoke about fodder scarcity in the union territory and called for providing farmers with wool aggregation facilities and helping with the formation of farmers producers organisations.
Atal Dulloo announced a plan of action under which improvement of germ plasm, augmentation of animal health facilities, increasing fodder production and availability and post-production initiatives like meat processing etc for increasing exports could be undertaken.
Dulloo underscored that the integrated Sheep Development Scheme has benefited many farmers and called for continued assistance under the scheme. Prof JP Sharma said that the sector provides livelihood to poorer sections of society. Furthermore, he also highlighted the requirement of value addition and post-production processing to increase the income of people involved in the sector.
Meanwhile, Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu, Krishan Lal in his welcome address informed that veterinarians and paramedics of the sector will be provided information about the latest developments in disease investigation, animal nutrition, embryo transfer technology and artificial insemination etc.
Krishan Lal stressed that the department intends to enhance the production of mutton and promote cross-breeding with superior breeds. He informed that seven departmental farms were working for increasing the quality of germ plasma. Those present at the occasion included Director Agriculture Jammu KK Sharma, Managing Director JK Agro Dr Arun Manhas, Joint Director Farms Jammu, Joint Director Extension Jammu among other senior officers and staff of the department.