The Jammu Kashmir administration has approved an ambitious project worth Rs 329 crore for the next five years for self-sufficiency in the mutton sector.
The project aims to create 6,000 jobs besides setting up 122 enterprises in the mutton sector in the state.
Mutton has been an essential part of Kashmiri cuisine for generations.
Despite the sector’s competitive advantage and potential to become self-sufficient in the mutton sector, the 41 per cent shortfall results in imports worth Rs 1,400 crore every year.
Further, the existing mutton production is not only of inadequate quantity but also deficient in quality. To deal with these issues, the administration has approved the project for the next five years. In addition to setting up 72 breed-based farms, the project aims to conduct one lakh artificial inseminations annually and set up 400 new commercial farms every year. The project will also focus on clustering, construction of mandis, abattoirs and common facility centres.
Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Production Department Atal Dhulloo said that investment in development and improvement of mutton sector in Jammu Kashmir is not only about boosting production and reducing import costs, but also about providing quality and safe meat to consumers, it is also about improving the livelihood of traditional farmers and creating new employment opportunities.
He said that other than increasing production and productivity, forward linkages which are highly deficient in the sector would be established through formation of 10 new abattoirs and 10 sheep markets and 50 self-help groups with integrated in-built value chains with 50 CFCs.