Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022

• 18 Mar 2023

For Prelims: Animal Husbandry, Livestock, Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund.

For Mains: Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022, Status of India’s Livestock Sector.

Why in News?

Recently, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has released the ‘Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022, showing an increase in the milk, eggs and meat productions in India.

• The contribution of livestock in the agriculture sector has been showing steady improvement that signifies its growing importance for the country’s economy.

What are the Key Highlights?

• Milk Production:
  • Total milk production in India was 221.06 million tonnes in 2021-2022, keeping It the largest milk producing country in the world.
  • Production had increased by 5.29% over the previous year.
    • The Indigenous cattle contribute 10.35% of the total milk production in the country whereas non-descript cattle contribute 9.82% and non-descript buffaloes contribute 13.49% of the total milk production in the country.
  • Top five major milk producing States are Rajasthan (15.05%), Uttar Pradesh (14.93%), Madhya Pradesh (8.06%), Gujarat (7.56%) and Andhra Pradesh (6.97%).
• Egg Production:
  • The total egg production was 129.60 billion numbers, and it is an increase by 6.19% than the previous year.
  • Top five egg producing States are Andhra Pradesh (20.41%), Tamil Nadu (16.08%), Telangana (12.86%), West Bengal (8.84%) and Karnataka (6.38%) and these States together contribute 64.56% of total egg production in the country.
• Meat Production:
  • The total meat production in the country was 9.29 million tonnes, increasing by 5.62% as compared to the previous year.
  • The meat production from poultry is contributing about 51.44% of the total production.
  • The top five meat producing States are Maharashtra (12.25%), Uttar Pradesh (12.14%), West Bengal (11.63%), Andhra Pradesh (11.04%) and Telangana (10.82%). They together contribute 57.86% of total meat production in the country.
• Wool:
  • The total wool production in the country during 2021-22 was 33.13 thousand tonnes which had declined by 10.30% as compared to previous year.
  • The top five major wool producing States are Rajasthan (45.91%), Jammu and Kashmir (23.19%), Gujarat (6.12%), Maharashtra (4.78%) and Himachal Pradesh (4.33%).

What is Animal Husbandry?

• About:
  • Animal husbandry refers to livestock raising and selective breeding. It is the management and care of animals in which the genetic qualities and behavior of animals are further developed for profit.
  • India is the highest livestock owner of the world.
    • As per the 20^th Livestock Census, the total Livestock population is 535.78 million in the country showing an increase of 4.6% over Livestock Census-2012.
  • Animal rearing has multidimensional potential.
    • For instance, Operation Flood, launched in 1970, helped dairy farmers direct their own development, increased milk production ("a flood of milk"), augmented rural incomes and ensured reasonable prices for consumers.
• Significance:
  • Economic Development: Animal husbandry is a significant contributor to the economy of many countries. It generates employment opportunities, income, and foreign exchange through the export of animal-based products.
  • Sustainable Agriculture: Animal husbandry plays a crucial role in sustainable agriculture by providing manure for soil fertility, controlling pests and weeds, and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
  • Genetic Improvement: Animal husbandry also contributes to genetic improvement of livestock through selective breeding and genetic engineering, leading to higher productivity, improved disease resistance, and better quality of animal-based products.
• Related Initiatives:
  • Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund
  • National Animal Disease Control Programme
  • Rashtriya Gokul Mission
  • National Livestock Mission
  • National Artificial Insemination Programme.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q.1 Which of the following is the chief characteristic of ‘mixed farming’? (2012)

(a) Cultivation of both cash crops and food crops
(b) Cultivation of two or more crops in the same field
(c) Rearing of animals and cultivation of crops together
(d) None of the above

Ans: (c)

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Mains

Q. Livestock rearing has a big potential for providing non-farm employment and income in rural areas. Discuss suggesting suitable measures to promote this sector in India. (2015)

Source: PIB