Experts stress incentives for dairy sector

LAHORE: The federal government should give incentives to dairy sector as the Punjab government did for bringing the sector out of crisis and for small farmers’ economic and social development and billions of rupees foreign exchange can be earned by giving tax holidays for a decade to the dairy sector.
These views were expressed by the speakers at Jang Economic Session on ‘diary sector importance and issues’. The panellists were DG Livestock, Punjab, Nawaz Saeed, Ahmed Sajjad, Imran Saeed, Haroon Lodhi, Dr Muhammad Ashraf, and Rabia Sultan and session was hosted by Sikindar Lodhi.
Nawaz Saeed said livestock is the top priority of the Punjab government and subsidy is being provided to promote this sector. He said poor quality milk is being produced in Pakistan and for the reason the country is depending on imported milk while farmers are compelled to sell or slaughter animals due to non-profitability. He demanded the private companies to expand research to increase fresh milk productivity. He said the Punjab government has drafted Livestock Policy Act to increase animal population, productivity and value addition of dairy products. He said free vaccination for animals has started in Punjab.
Ahmed Sajjad said 70 percent of Pakistan’s population is directly or indirectly attached with dairy sector while 20 to 40 percent of domestic budget is spent on it while sector is also playing vital role in poverty alleviation. He demanded reduction in dairy sector cost of production.
Imran Saeed said the demand of skilled 25,000 workers is the proof of the sector’s growth. He suggested development of training institutes for dairy development with public-private partnership. Pakistan annual milk production is 33 billion litre worth of $15 billion that shows potential of the sector. He suggested development of model farms for dairy development.
Haroon Lodhi said only up to 5 percent of milk processed in Pakistan while almost 800,000 families are attached with the sector. He said steps are crucial to stop rural urban migration by developing dairy sector. He said cost of production of milk in India is half than Pakistan because India has increased its dairy sector’s exports. He suggested withdrawal of GST on raw material and inputs of agriculture sector.
Dr Muhammad Ashraf said an increase in duties and taxes on raw material has increased cost of production and enhanced values of products. He said cost of milk production in Pakistan is higher in the world so there is a need to abolish taxes from dairy sector. He said diary experts’ courses are completed in six days in the world while in Pakistan these courses are completed in six months due to which there experts’ shortage in the sector.
Rabia Sultan said livestock sector was always ignored due to which its share sharply declined. She called for long-term policy for dairy sector, adopting modern techniques and technologies. She said quality animal fodder is also major issue in Pakistan which adversely affecting milk production. She called for promoting buffalo milk products.