Livestock sector reforms being enforced: minister

LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Livestock and Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said that the Punjab government is focusing on herd transformation, breed improvement, tagging and traceability and disease control of animals.

The provincial minister expressed these views during his meeting with Green Corporate Livestock Initiative (GCLI) DG Maj-Gen (retd) Shahid Mahmood here Friday.

The meeting discussed mechanism related to animal breed improvement, vaccine production, disease control and data sharing. Secretary Livestock Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel was also present on the occasion. The provincial minister stated that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has generously allocated funds for the development of the livestock sector in the last financial year.

These measures of CM have benefited the livestock farmers and their economic conditions have improved. The response of livestock farmers and women to the initiatives of the Punjab CM for livestock cards and distribution of assets among rural women of South Punjab has been very positive. 'We have launched a Livestock CONNECT webpage to facilitate livestock farmers and exporters.

We are going to create five compartments and two zones for effective control of FMD in the province under the budget of the next financial year.' Kirmani reiterated the commitment that cooperation between our department and GCLI will continue in the future to achieve common goals.

On this occasion, GCLI DG Maj-Gen (retd) Shahid Mahmood endorsed that our institution will provide all possible support for the provision of research and training facilities for the livestock department in Punjab. “We will ensure the supply of high-quality semen and embryos of highly breed animals to livestock farmers at subsidised prices”.

He explained that a modern IVF lab has been established in collaboration with the private sector. The aim of both institutions is to increase meat and milk production in the country so that by increasing meat production, its access to the Gulf countries could be made possible.