FMD Resulting into Economic Loss of Rs 20,000 Crore Every Year
INDIA - The government today said the foot and mouth disease in livestock sector is resulting into direct economic loss to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore per annum.
16 February 2012
1 minute read
"The biggest impediment to growth of the livestock sector is the prevalence of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the country after Rinderpest. This adversely affects the performance of the animals, resulting into direct economic losses, to the tune of Rs 20,000 crores per annum," Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Rawat said in his inaugural address at a global conference here.
The presence of FMD has badly affected export potential of the livestock industry, he said.
However, the indirect losses, due to reduced work capacity, such as abortions, subsequent infertility and sterility, which cause reduced milk production, have not be quantified, he added.
Neverthless, India is committed to controlling FMD to increase the productivity of livestock sector, Mr Rawat said.
Stating that eradication of Rinderpest and Contagious Bovine Pleuro-Pneumonia from the country is one of the biggest achievements of the livestock sector, Mr Rawat said: "India is producing about 300 million doses of trivalent vaccine per annum and the demand is expected to go up to 600 to 800 million doses in next 3 to 5 years."
