Hyderabad: The state of Telangana ranked fifth in meat production in the country with aid from the ‘Sheep Distribution Scheme’, helping the state move towards self-sufficiency in the aspect.
According to the officials of the animal husbandry department, a significant reduction in the import of meat from other states was witnessed after the application of the sheep distribution scheme.
Currently, the meat production in the state stands at 9.75 lakh metric tonnes with an additional meat production of 1.11 lakh metric tonnes recorded after the implementation of the scheme.
As per previous records, the national average consumption of meat was 5.4 kg, whereas, in Telangana, the average was recorded at 21.17 kg.
The production of mutton in the state in 2015-16 stood at 1.35 lakh metric tonnes, which increased to 3.03 lakh metric tonnes in 2020-21, an increase of 124 per cent, officials said.
In the first phase of the scheme, about 82.74 lakh sheep were handed over to 3.94 lakh beneficiaries at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore.
Officials said the government had allocated Rs 6,125 crore to distribute 73.50 lakh sheep among 3.50 lakh beneficiaries.
Out of the Rs 6,125 crore outlay, the government subsidy would be Rs 4,593.75 crore and the beneficiary’s share would be Rs 1,531.25 crore.
For the second phase of the scheme, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 4,563.75 crore.
According to the 20th National Cattle Census conducted in 2019, with 190.63 lakh sheep, Telangana stood first in the country.
The government has increased the unit value of sheep from Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 1.75 lakh to procure a quality breed of sheep.
Out of the Rs 1.75 lakh loan amount, Rs 1,31,250 would be granted and the beneficiaries have to bear the balance of Rs 43,750.
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