Many of us don’t know that Indian Livestock industry is the largest in the world. The total number of cattle across the country is estimated to be 192.49 million. It’s important to note that there’s a 0.8% growth from the previous years. The livestock industry has been contributing more to the economy than the crop industry in India. Not just that, it has a positive benefit on the rural development in India.
Livestock industry is estimated to grow multifold in the coming years. This industry contributes to our nation’s GDP by a lot, and it is said to catalyse urbanisation in India. Low-income households will get access to more livestock products soon, leading to a rise in contribution to our GDP. This pretty much sums up how big the livestock industry is here in India. Let’s now focus on how it is contributing to people?
Contribution to people:
MIlk
Livestock provides milk to the people. It is essential to note that India is the largest producer of milk in the world. Milk available in India is of premium quality and comes with a lot of nutrients as opposed to our western countries. Milk from livestock is still consumed in a large scale in India.
Food
Meat and eggs are all produced by the livestock. About 8 million tonnes of meat are produced in India every year and about 95 billion eggs. Domestic food requirements are taken care of and some parts of the meat produced are exported to various countries from here. It is important to note that livestock contributes to almost 32% of the income from all of the agriculture industry.
Culture
Besides providing food and milk, livestock serves as a pride in many clans in rural India. Owning certain kinds of bulls, high yielding buffaloes and cows are all considered to show the wealth of the owner.
Sports
Animals like bulls and cocks are trained especially for the cock fights and bull fights that happen during festival seasons every year. This is a huge market in itself with millions of spectators across the country.
Skin and fiber
Leather is one of the precious by-products of livestock. It holds very high commercial value and contributes a great deal to our export sector. Besides leather, livestock also contributes to the manufacturing of wool, pelt, hair, etc.
Asset
Livestock is considered to be the only living movable asset. Owning livestock is as good as owning lands or houses. In some areas, livestock are also considered as guarantee in case the owner needs a loan.
Dung
Dung from animals are considered to be one of the best organic manures to crops and plants. In dried form can be used as fuel as well. They also contain medicinal values and are often used at households during festive seasons these days.
In conclusion, Indian livestock industry is one of the largest in the world. It contributes a great deal to our GDP as well as people’s lives. If you have questions regarding growing livestock or starting your livestock business, give us a call for free consultation.
