Meghalaya working on blueprint to make state self-sufficient in meat, fish production

Shillong: The Meghalaya government is finalising a comprehensive blueprint for making the state self-sufficient in meat and fish production.

Meghalaya has a shortage of 9,000 metric tonnes (MT) of pork, 6,000 MT of chicken, 16,000 MT of beef and 20,000 MT of fish.

This is despite the state government’s various initiatives — such as Piggery Mission, Aquaculture Mission and Milk Mission — in the past few years. 

Under the Piggery Mission, support has been provided to about 7,000 breeding and fattening units spread over 362 cooperative societies. The Sohphoh Integrated Village Cooperative Society in West Jaintia Hills district got an interest-free loan of Rs 20 lakh under the mission and distributed it to 21 piggery entrepreneurs. This capital has helped farmers in increasing their business fourfold and piggery has now become a full-time economic activity for many families.

Nonetheless, the demand-supply gap remains wide and the state has to import meat and fish.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said once the comprehensive blueprint is ready and implemented, it will create employment opportunities, improve nutrition and contribute to economic growth.

“The government will continue to strengthen the primary sector of the economy comprising agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, sericulture and fisheries. There is a potential to create up to 3 lakh employment opportunities in the primary sector,” Sangma said.

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