Capt Writes to Suresh Prabhu Seeking setting up LPEDA
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has called for setting up a Livestock Products Export Development Authority (LPEDA) to focus exclusively on comprehensive development of the Animal Products sector and to harness its tremendous export potential. The establishment of such an Authority would help provide products needed to meet the burgeoning demand of food by the world's growing population, the Chief Minister has written in a communique to Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu. The Chief Minister pointed out that the Livestock Sector in the country accounts for 4.11% of the GDP and 25.6% of the total Agriculture GDP, besides 29% of the value of the output from total agriculture and allied sector. About 20.5 million people, who represent 8.8% of the country's population and about two-thirds of the rural population, depend upon livestock for their livelihood, with India having the largest bovine population in the world, besides ranking second and third in goat and sheep population respectively. He further stressed the need to give priority to export of Livestock products, which would enhance valuable foreign exchange earnings, exponentially increase farmer's incomes and achieve the target of doubling farmers' incomes in line with the Government of India’s goal. A largely unorganized sector, Livestock desperately needs technological inputs to have healthy and disease-free animals and to boost acceptability of India’s animal products in the international market, said the Chief Minister.
