Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Secretary calls for a 20% increase in livestock exports this fiscal

India’s livestock exports register 12.56% growth last Fiscal, reaching USD 5114.19 million.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Government of India jointly organized a Roundtable Workshop on “Exports of Livestock and their Value-Added Products – Future Prospects and Way Forward” in New Delhi.

The Workshop convened Senior officials from the Central and State Government, industry stakeholders, policy experts and scientists to deliberate on strengthening India’s livestock export ecosystem through quality enhancement, disease prevention, market access initiatives, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) free infrastructure, technological advancements, market intelligence and global market alignment.

The Roundtable Workshop was chaired by Secretary, DAHD, Alka Upadhyaya. Other dignitaries included Additional Secretary, DAHD, Varsha Joshi, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Smt. Kesang Yangzom Sherpa and Chairman of APEDA, Abhishek Dev.

In her keynote address, Secretary, DAHD, Alka Upadhyaya noted, “With sustained investment in disease control infrastructure, quality systems, exploring diplomatic channels for enhanced market access and exports and bio security measures, India can position itself as a global leader in livestock exports, especially in value-added segments and the industry must be more aspirational and aim for a 20 per cent increase in exports this fiscal.” She added, “Industry must focus on processing of livestock and further improve the quality of livestock products by having a star rating for plants and establishments to ensure globally competitive exports.”

Delivering a special address, Additional Secretary, DAHD, Varsha Joshi shared updates on disease control efforts and highlighted the “urgent need for constant resource supply, clean and hygienic conditions to ensure quality, saving male calf project, market intelligence and establishing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) free zones in the country.” She mentioned that, “Based on the progress and achievement of FMD programme the Department is working towards designating 9 states namely Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Gujarat as FMD free zones.” She also highlighted, “The need for strengthening the supply chain of livestock exports by introducing traceability across the value chain and extending support to the industry under the Department’s Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund(AHIDF).”

Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry,  Kesang Yangzom Sherpa underlined the strategic importance of the sector in diversifying India’s agri-export basket and emphasised that animal product exports maintain a significant share in India’s agricultural exports. She underscored the role of inter-ministerial coordination in unlocking new markets for exports of India’s livestock products and the need to leverage India’s free trade agreements to expand India’s livestock exports.

Chairman of APEDA, Abhishek Dev emphasized “India’s growing role as a reliable exporter of hygienic, traceable and quality-assured livestock products.” He highlighted, “In the last fiscal, the overall exports of animal products stood at USD 5114.19 million registering a growth of 12.56 per cent.” He stated, “There is a significant opportunity to increase the exports of animal products by gaining market access in new markets, developing new and innovative value added and processed products for exports and extolling the industry to maintain highest quality and standards.”

The workshop saw active participation of policymakers from the Central and State Government of India including Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries especially their Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) and State Animal Husbandry Departments, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as well as industry associations such as All India Meat & Livestock Exporters Association (AIMLEA), scientists, state veterinary doctors from ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) and industry experts, amongst others.