Farmers to get sexed semen at cheaper rates, says minister

LUDHIANA: Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, today said the Union Government was committed towards uplifting the standard of living of dairy farmers and several welfare schemes had been started for its facilitation.

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 7

Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, today said the Union Government was committed towards uplifting the standard of living of dairy farmers and several welfare schemes had been started for its facilitation.

He said for improving the quality of milch cattle, especially buffaloes and cows, the Union Government would be providing sexed semen to the dairy farmers at a much cheaper rate of only Rs 100 by 2020. He said this while addressing the gathering after inaugurating the 14th PDFA International Dairy and Agri Expo 2019 at Jagraon, near here today.

While speaking on the occasion, Giriraj said by 2020, sexed semen would be provided to the farmers for only Rs 100, which at present is made available at Rs 600 (with subsidy), whereas its actual cost is Rs 1,200. He said under this project, 600 villages have been chosen in the country, where 200 cattle from each village would be provided free breeding with quality sexed semen for breeding in every village.

He said the Union Government was also working to bring improvements in Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) so as to ensure production of quality livestock. ETT could help in speeding up breed improvement, which would fetch better prices to the dairy farmers due to higher milk yield, he added. He said that livestock had a huge potential to double farmers’ income through improved efficiency of production, quality, food safety and economics.

For the development of the fisheries sector, Singh said that the parts of Punjab and Haryana, where farmers suffer due to saline water, prawn and shrimp farming would be promoted there so that both the states become hub of prawn and shrimp farming in the country, as it fetches more remunerative prices than the traditional varieties of carp.

Singh also appreciated the efforts of the Progressive Dairy Farmers Association (PDFA) and its president Daljit Singh Sadarpura. Later in his address, Daljit Singh Sadarpura raised some issues related to the dairy farmers, after which Giriraj Singh assured all possible help.

Punjab Farmers Commission Chairman Ajayvir Jakhar also spoke on the occasion and suggested some measures to be taken by the Union government for the betterment of farmers.