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Dimpaur, March 25 (EMN): ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun (ICAR-NRCM), Medziphema, Nagaland organised a one-day training programme on “Augmenting farmers income in the NEH region through promotion of entrepreneurship in Mithun meat processing and value addition”, in collaboration with ICAR-NRC on Meat, Hyderabad for farmers and butchers on March 22.
Dr. Suresh K Devatkal and Dr. Girish Patil S, the resource persons from ICAR-NRC on Meat highlighted the importance of hygienic meat production and value addition in mithun meat for doubling farmers income, a press release informed.
There is a lot of potential to grow in the meat business especially in Northeastern states as meat consumption is higher due to which, rapid consolidation in meat processing, more vertical integration and large number of smaller processing units will be the key trends in the future, they added.
The production and packaging of various value-added meat and milk products was also demonstrated to farmers.
Dr. Sentinungla Ao, deputy director, DMC, Dimapur, mentioned that Nagaland is still short in meat production and live animals are imported from different states, where a large amount of money is spent every year by the state government to import meat and meat products, which needs to be brought down to zero level.
Director of ICAR-NRCM, Dr. Meraj Haider Khan, highlighted that mithun farming is profitable but there is a strong need to promote a scientific and alternative semi-intensive method of mithun rearing and encourage the diversified use of mithun for meat and milk to stop the slaughter of mithun for table purpose only, it said.
He further encouraged farmers to take up other small livestock enterprises such as piggery, backyard poultry or goatery for sustainability.
A total of 20 farmers from Noklak district, six butchers from Dimapur district, scientists, staff members of the institute participated in the programme.