Haryana earns Rs 200 crore yearly by exporting buffaloes

Chandigarh, Jun 21 (UNI) The Haryana government earns a revenue of Rs 200 crore every year by the export of Murrah buffaloes to developed countries like Australia, Canada and the USA.

Disclosing this today, Agriculture Minister Harmohinder Singh Chatha stated that the Murrah breed of buffaloes was capable of meeting the ver increasing demand of milk. He said that though Murrah is a product of Haryana, yet its demand is multiplying fast in the national and international markets.

The Agriculture Minister further added that the consolidated information about Murrah buffaloes had been put on the internet from where the dealers could gather information about the sale and purchase of this breed. He disclosed that a businessman from South had recently purchased a Murrah buffalo from Tohana town for a record Rs 1.50 lakh.

Mr Chatha disclosed that people from different districts of the state were taking keen interest in rearing of this breed of buffaloes. He stated that nearly 450 lakh buffaloes were available in Karnal district alone, out of which two lakh buffaloes belonged to Murrah breed.

The Agriculture Minister said that rearing of Murrah buffaloes was an important source of income generation for marginal and landless farmers. For promoting rearing of animals, various competitions were being organised from time to time by the Animal Husbandry department, he added.

He informed that the government had taken up the task of insuring the milch cattle for which 50 per cent premium was being paid by the government and the rest by the Animal Husbandry department. He said that for protecting animals against foot and mouth disease, the veterinary doctors go from door-to-door for vaccinating the cattle.

The Agriculture Minister further disclosed that the government had implemented the Mini Dairy Scheme for the unemployed people under which loan was being provided for opening a dairy with ten buffaloes. The Animal Husbandry department was giving a subsidy of Rs 1000 per buffalo under this scheme.

UNI HS ARB HT1948