Shillong, May 15: The Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) today submitted a memorandum to Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Sanbor Shullai highlighting challenges faced by livestock farmers in the state.
The FKJGP said market access remains the biggest hurdle for local pig and poultry farmers.
“Pigs and poultry produced in Meghalaya cannot be sold at profitable rates because cheaper livestock from outside the state enters freely,” the pressure group stated.
The federation demanded a policy to regulate the entry of these animals, warning that local farmers will continue to suffer and be unable to scale up their activities without intervention.
The memorandum also flagged the recent spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) and high poultry mortality and blamed imports and the lack of state quarantine and isolation centres for the spread of disease.
“This has led to widespread ASF and other poultry diseases in parts of Meghalaya, causing heavy losses, loan defaults and demoralisation among farmers,” the FKJGP said.
On training, the pressure group observed that while the department conducts numerous programmes across districts and blocks, there is little follow-up on farmers’ progress and efforts by both the government and participants often go to waste.
Other points raised by the FKJGP included sparse help offered by the department during medical emergencies, including medicines; absence of a minimum support price for livestock; and no organised market for meat sales. The state also has only one modern abattoir, which is at Mawlai Mawiong.
