Meat, egg and dairy production declines in Nagaland

DIMAPUR — The value of domestic production of meat, eggs, and dairy has declined in the state, while the cost of imports for the same has remained largely constant, according to the Nagaland Economic Survey for 2022–2023.

According to the survey conducted by the directorate of Economics and Statistics, the value of domestic production of meat, eggs, and dairy was INR 818 crore in 2021-22, indicating a declining trend from INR 1022.61 crore in 2020-21, while the import cost of meat, eggs, and dairy was INR 211.22 crore, remaining largely constant from INR 211.94 crore in 2020-21.

Even though the value of domestic meat, eggs, and dairy production has decreased, the cost of import has remained largely constant, indicating a changing pattern in the state’s consumption behaviour (expressly, away from a non-vegetarian diet and towards a vegetarian diet), as the decrease in domestic production has not been accompanied by an increase in import cost.

Animal healthcare

According to the same survey, the state currently has 11 veterinary hospitals, 55 veterinary dispensaries, 100 veterinary health centres, and 16 quarantine check posts in operation.

Such institutions provide veterinary services to farmers in both urban and rural areas, with veterinary hospitals providing clinical medicine and surgical treatments, as well as pathological, microbiological, and parasitological services through attached laboratories.

It said that various activities were carried out by the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry department during the fiscal year 2020-21, including the establishment of rural pig slaughter houses in six towns and the establishment of two community dairy farms at Botsa and Tseminyu, each with a capacity of 20 milking cows.

It also established two veterinary hospitals and four veterinary dispensaries, as well as adopting 57 villages for piggery development.

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