ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH AND RESEARCH PRIORITIES FOR LIVESTOCK SECTOR IN GUJARAT STATE
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Date
2004-08
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JAU, JUNAGADH
Abstract
The present study was undertaken with a view to assess the progress of livestock sector in terms of population, productivity and production of different species in Gujarat state and to work out the proper allocation strategy for limited livestock research resources for the districts/regions, species and commodities and services, with reference to national goals. The time series data for livestock population, productivity and production were collected from various publications for the period 1992-03 with a view to estimate the compound growth rate for all the districts, all the regions and for the state. For priority setting, Multi-criteria scoring model was used in this study. The study covers all 19 old districts and six livestock species.
The compound growth rate of both inmilk and milch indigenous and crossbred cow population were found positive and significant in all the four regions and in state also, whereas the instability was much higher in case of crossbred than that of indigenous cow population. Both inmilk and milch buffalo population growth was found positive and significant in all the districts of Gujarat state, except Bhavnagar. During the period 1992-03, most of the districts registered the positive and significant growth in inmilk and milch goat population. Among the milk producing animals, the highest growth was noticed in crossbred cow. In case of sheep population, the positive and significant growth was found only in Saurashtra region along with low instability as compared to other regions. Both the deshi and improved poultry layer population decreased significantly in most of the districts and the similar trend of growth and instability was also noticed in total poultry population. It was revealed from the composition and distribution study that buffalo was the dominant milk producing animal in all the regions, except Saurashtra, where goat was the dominant in population of milk producing animals. The share of crossbred population in total cattle milk producing animals was increased very slowly during the period 1992-03 in all the regions. The share of deshi layer population was also increased in all the regions but the share was very small as compared to the share of improved layer population.
At the state level the inmilk productivity was found positive and significant in all milk producing animals, except the crossbred. In case of milch productivity, only indigenous cow registered the positive and significant growth rate. The sheep wool productivity was increased significantly only in Saurashtra region. The productivity of deshi layer was increased significantly in all the regions, whereas the positive and significant growth was noticed only in Saurashtra and North Gujarat for improved poultry layers.
The indigenous cow milk production had increased significantly in all the districts, except Amreli and Bhavnagar and similar trend was also seen in total cow milk and buffalo milk production. All the districts of Middle, South and North Gujarat registered the positive and significant growth in goat milk production, while the non significant growth was observed in most of the districts of Saurashtra region. For wool production, the positive and significant growth was found in most of the districts of Saurashtra region, while rest of the districts had non significant growth rate. Total egg production of the state was significantly decreased, while the positive growth was noticed in deshi poultry layer egg production, but it was statistically non significant. During the same period egg production of improved layers has also decreased significantly.
The contribution of buffalo milk was the highest in all the regions, followed by cattle and goat. Similarly the contribution of deshi layer egg production share in all the regions and in the state was gradually increased but it was lesser than share of improved layer. The contribution of Saurashtra in state wool production was increased rapidly due to the increase in sheep population and productivity.
In the research allocation priority study, the highest priority should be given to Kachchh district, followed by Panchmahals, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Sabarkantha and Banaskantha districts. It was further noticed that all the districts of South Gujarat gains considerably over efficiency based allocation, when equity and sustainability criteria are superimposed on it. On the other hand, all the districts of Middle Gujarat and Saurashtra, except Kachchh district lose considerably due to incorporation of equity and sustainability criteria.
In species wise priority, the buffalo research claims the highest priority (56.94%) in the state, followed by cattle (39.63%), goat (2.23%) and poultry (0.927%). The share of pig and sheep is very low. However the distribution of resources among the species varies from district to district. Cattle research should target mainly the districts of Saurashtra, whereas the districts of Middle Gujarat are the priority districts for buffalo research. Goat research activities should be concentrated in Saurashtra and Middle Gujarat. Most of the districts of Saurashtra region appear as the priority districts for sheep research. Focus on poultry research should be in Middle and South Gujarat regions.
Most of the livestock species are maintained for dual or multiple purposes. So, to prioritise the commodities within the species is very important. At the state level, cattle research should focus on milk production (60.16%), followed by draft power (39.71%), while buffalo research should give more than 99 per cent of resources for milk production. similarly in case of goat research, where milk production gets 92.17 per cent, followed by meat research. Research on sheep should focus on wool production (70.33%), followed by meat (26.83%) and hide (2.85%). In poultry research both egg and meat research claims the equal priority. However the allocation of research resources among the commodities within the species varies across the districts, due to its relative importance and utility.
In the commodity priority, milk research demands the highest priority (82.86%) in the state and followed by draft power (15.49%), meat (0.88%) and egg (0.54%). The share of skin and hair and wool is very low. Within the milk research, buffalo milk gets the highest priority in all the districts as well as in state. Similarly poultry meat claims the highest share in meat research in most of the districts. The hide research should focus on goat hide in the most of the districts of Gujarat state. Wool research gets the highest priority in Saurashtra, Middle and North Gujarat, while South Gujarat should focus on goat hair research.
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Economics