Meat Production

Country is endowed with more than 11  per cent of the World's livestock population comprising of variety of meat animals such as buffalo, goat, sheep, pig, cattle and poultry. Effective utilization of livestock resources is essential for sustainable animal production. The per capita animal protein availability is about 10 grams dry as against (world average of 25 grams dry) the targeted minimum requirement of 20 grams per capita per day for animal protein. Out of this 20 gm, four grams comes from meat and remaining 16 grams from other livestock products. ICMR recommended 34 gram meat/head/day against the availability of only 14 gm meat/head/day . According to ICMR recommendation, for 70% non-vegetarian population in India, the estimated demand of meat for the present population would be 8.68 million tonnes as against the present production of 6.03 million tonnes (FAOSTAT, 2004). Therefore, significant gap exists between the demand and supply of meat and meat products. 

Meat Production in India

Source: FAO, 2006 (FAOSTAT Website). 

In India, meat production is largely a by-product system of livestock production utilizing spent animals at the end of their productive life. Cattle and buffaloes, which contribute about 50 per cent of total meat production, are primarily reared for milk and draught purpose and in the end, utilized for meat purpose subject to many limitations. Buffalo population was less than half of cattle population, but buffalo meat production is equal to that of beef from cattle. This was due to effective utilization of buffalo meat both for domestic anaport market. According to FA0 estimate, 11 per cent buffaloes are slaughtered, but there is sufficient reason to believe that the actual slaughtering rate may be as high as 20 per cent. Buffalo is now used for triple purposes namely, milk, meat and draught. A few states have made laws restricting slaughter of buffalo calves and productive buffalos.

Buffalo calves in urban areas suffer from early death for various reasons. There are millions of buffalo calves that need to be saved from early death. Meat production potential of buffaloes could be considerably increased under an ideal management and efficient production system. 

Cow slaughter is banned largely in the country. However, all the bovine animals can be slaughtered in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu on 'fit-for- slaughter' certificate which is given if animal is over certain age like 10 years, 12 years or 14 years of age and is unfit for work and breeding or has become permanently incapacitated for work and breeding due to injury, deformity or any incurable disease, In Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Pondicheny, Orissa, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa, male bovine animals can be slaughtered on 'fit-for- slaughter certificate' provided they follow the same condition as already mentioned for the state of West Bengal, Assam etc. The States of Meghalaya and Nagaland do not have any legislation on cow's slaughter. Slaughter of all cattle is totally prohibited in Delhi, Gujamt, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Mesh, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashrnir. (Source: http://dahd nic. in/ch2/an2.8. htm). 

Sheep and goat meat has a high domestic demand and returns from sale of skin are considerable due to the growth in leather industry. Slaughter of under-weight lambs/kids is adversely affecting meat production potential which needs to be corrected with appropriate programmes. Sheep and goat, which contribute to considerable domestic meat demand, are mainly reared under extensive and Livestock Population and nomadic system without serious effort for productivity improvement.

Pig rearing has largely remained under nomadic system of rearing (scavenging) with the weaker sections of the society both as a source of income and a choice of meat for consumption. Cost of inputs and returns were not a serious concern in this system. However, availability of quality pork for a variety of consumers is a scarce item. In the recent years, entrepreneurs have shown interest in pig production, processing and marketing activities as an organized enterprise. India could consider exporting pork products, as potential markets exist in South- East Asian countries. 

Poultry industry has grown in more organized manner compared to other livestock species and the country has adapted modem production system. However, meat processing sector is largely under traditional system in spite of increase in volumes of processing. Most of the birds are slaughtered in the roadside butcher shops. Improvements in small-scale processing of poultry are required to process chicken under aesthetic conditions and ensure consumer demand. The poultry processing industry is still in a nascent stage of growth. Presently, 97 per cent of the poultry meat is sold as live birds. Only three per cent is processed and sold as fresh I chilled or frozen. The share of further processed and ready-to-cook products is even lesser at about half-a-per cent. The market for processed chicken is confined to the metro cities and a few large urban areas. This limited market is shared by more than a dozen processors. The obstacles in the way of growth of poultry processing industry are high incidence of duties and    taxes both on the processed products as well as on the equipment for processing and outbreak of the emerging disease like bird flu etc.