LIVESTOCK SECTOR OF INDIA WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON KERALA
Dr. Arul sabareeswaran, T. A.
Post-Graduate Scholar,
Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode
KVASU, Wayanad, Kerala – 673576
Dr. Alimudeen, S.
Post-Graduate Scholar,
Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode
KVASU, Wayanad, Kerala – 673576
Dr. Senthil Kumar, R.
Professor and Head,
Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode
KVASU, Wayanad, Kerala – 673576
Corresponding Author
Dr. Arul sabareeswaran, T. A.
e-mail _ arulsabareeswaran1997@gmail.com
Mobile _ +91-9442735415
INTRODUCTION
India is an agricultural country and livestock plays a vital role in the agriculture and economic development of the country. It is one of the fastest-growing segments in India. About 5.1 percent of GVA (Gross Value Added) and 17.1 percent of Agricultural and allied GVA of India are contributed by livestock (National Accounts Statistics-2019, Central Statistical Organisation, GoI). There is enough evidence of Livestock rearing in the Indus valley civilization which is reported to be the oldest civilization of India, so livestock is an integral part of Indian agriculture. Even though we are rich in livestock products and population it is mandated to know the exact number of livestock for the implementation of schemes. The livestock census is conducted every five years. The first livestock census was conducted in the year of 1919-1920.
The Livestock Census covers all domesticated animals and their headcounts. Various species of animals (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun, Yak, Sheep, Goat, Pig, Horse, Pony, Mule, Donkey Camel, Dog, Rabbit, and Elephant)/poultry birds (Fowl, Duck, Emu, Turkeys, Quail, and other poultry birds) possessed by the households, household enterprises/non-household enterprises and institutions have been counted. Till now 20 livestock censuses were conducted and the latest census was in the year 2019. The Census will prove beneficial not just for policymakers but also for agriculturists, traders, entrepreneurs, the dairying industry, and the masses in general. It also provides some key results reflecting the aggregate counts of various species as well as its comparison with the previous census. The initiatives on a collection of breed-wise reliable information of various species will give vital information to determine threatened indigenous breeds and take initiatives for their conservation.
With this background, the present review aims to focus on the current status of the livestock population, trends in livestock growth, and the livestock production of the nation in general with a special focus on Kerala.
20th LIVESTOCK CENSUS
The major thrust given to 20th Livestock Census is the collection of data through tablets. The 20th livestock census is indeed a unique attempt as for the first time such a major initiative has been taken to digitize household-level data through online transmission from the field. Mobile application software was developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC) for collecting and transferring the data online. It was used for data collection as well as online transmission of data from the field to the NIC server. At present, there is about 535.8 million Livestock in India. In that, there are 192.5 million cattle, 109.9 million buffalos, 74.3 million sheep, 148.9 million goats, 9.1 million pigs, and 851.8 million poultries recorded by the census 2019.
In the 20th livestock census, 35.94%-Cattle, 27.80%-Goat, 20.45%-Buffaloes, 13.87%-Sheep, 1.69%-Pigs and Mithun, Yaks, Horses, Ponies, Mules, Donkeys, and Camels were taken together contribute 0.23% of the total livestock (Sonavale et al., 2020)
COMPARISON OF 20TH CENSUS WITH 19TH CENSUS (SPECIES WISE)
The growth rate of the Cattle population in the 20th census is 0.83% from 190.9 million to 192.49 million, similarly, in buffalos, 1.06% increase from 108.7 million to 109.85 million,
sheep 14.13% increased from 65.07 million to 74.26 million, goats 10.14% increased from 135.17 million to 148.88 million, Pigs -12.03% declined from 10.29 million to 9.06 million. The total Livestock growth rate increased about 4.63% from 512.06 million to 535.78 million.
Table.1. Comparison of census 2019 with census 2012
| Category | Population
(in millions) 2012 |
Population
(in millions) 2019 |
% Growth rate |
| Cattle | 190.90 | 192.49 | 0.83 |
| Buffalo | 108.70 | 109.85 | 1.06 |
| Sheep | 65.07 | 74.26 | 14.13 |
| Goat | 135.17 | 148.88 | 10.14 |
| Pig | 10.29 | 9.06 | -12.03 |
| Total Livestock | 512.06 | 535.78 | 4.63 |
TREND IN LIVESTOCK GROWTH
- The growth rate of cattle population in India was persistently positive up to the year 1992 might be due to the extensive cross-breeding and various development schemes and extension programs implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry. However, the population shifted to a decreasing trend for the period 1992-97 The reasons for the decrease in cattle population in India might be due to rapid urbanization, decrease in grazing land, decrease in the supply of agricultural labour, the non-remunerative price for milk, decrease in the indigenous population, etc
- The buffalo population in the country was found to be in constant positive growth rate
- The sheep population in India has improved gradually at a positive rate for the first three periods (1951-56, 1956-61 and 1961-66), followed by a decline in the period 1966-72, again had a dip during the period 1982-87 and finally showed a positive trend till now. The gradual increase in growth of the sheep population might be associated with the steady increase in demand for mutton by the consumers and the lowest disease incidence among small ruminants compared to other livestock species
- It was peculiar to note that the goat population continued to increase from the initial period The reasons for the positive trend in goat population in India might be connected with an increase in demand for chevon by the consumers, easy management practices for goats over other livestock species, the high remunerative price for chevon over other products, etc
- The pig population in India had a positive trend overall the duration except during the periods 1961-66 and 2004-07 but during the last inter-census period, the growth rate in the pig population was found to be negative. The reasons might be due to reluctance by the entrepreneurs to start a pig farm because of socio-cultural inhibition and inadequate financial availabilities.
Table. 2. Total Indigenous cattle population
| Population in 2012
(in millions) |
Population in 2019
(in millions) |
Change in percent | |
| Male | 61.95 | 43.94 | -29.1 |
| Female | 89.22 | 98.17 | 10.0 |
| Total | 151.17 | 142.11 | -6.0 |
TOP STATES IN LIVESTOCK POPULATION IN 20TH LIVESTOCK CENSUS
Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of livestock in India about 67.8 million followed by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal.
Table.3. Top 10 states in Indian Livestock Population in 20th livestock census
| S.No | States | Population in 2019
(Million) |
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 67.8 |
| 2 | Rajasthan | 56.8 |
| 3 | Madhya Pradesh | 40.6 |
| 4 | West Bengal | 37.4 |
| 5 | Bihar | 36.5 |
| 6 | Andhra Pradesh | 36.0 |
| 7 | Maharashtra | 33.0 |
| 8 | Telangana | 32.6 |
| 9 | Karnataka | 29.0 |
| 10 | Gujarat | 26.9 |
*Kerala has a livestock population of about 2.9 million as recorded by the 20th Livestock census
Table.4. Livestock population in Kerala (District wise)
| DISTRICT NAME | CATTLE | BUFFALO | SHEEP | GOAT | PIG | TOTAL POULTRY |
| Kasaragod | 73968 | 1506 | 50 | 37427 | 4666 | 615472 |
| Kannur | 91687 | 2446 | 8 | 65166 | 12312 | 1325481 |
| Wayanad | 79753 | 4353 | 238 | 45365 | 9147 | 889246 |
| Kozhikode | 94248 | 3915 | 25 | 55215 | 11159 | 1760401 |
| Malappuram | 87035 | 15077 | 28 | 169892 | 2925 | 6137460 |
| Palakkad | 166952 | 9743 | 914 | 144095 | 9258 | 2028591 |
| Thrissur | 111932 | 20520 | 21 | 129579 | 13041 | 3399382 |
| Ernakulam | 108061 | 10029 | 7 | 126599 | 9142 | 4033870 |
| Idukki | 97395 | 5067 | 9 | 102432 | 14670 | 746356 |
| Kottayam | 81074 | 6163 | 19 | 94968 | 9200 | 2212169 |
| Alappuzha | 79370 | 5726 | 18 | 55109 | 424 | 1779061 |
| Pathanamthitta | 61157 | 3260 | 27 | 52106 | 894 | 798872 |
| Kollam | 110542 | 8658 | 12 | 124326 | 1582 | 1522105 |
| Thiruvananthapuram | 98822 | 5041 | 106 | 156882 | 5443 | 2523439 |
| Total | 1341996 | 101504 | 1482 | 1359161 | 103863 | 29771905 |
COMPARISON OF LIVESTOCK POPULATION OF MAJOR STATES
Even though Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have the highest number of livestock in India, the livestock population declined in the 20th livestock census compared to the 19th census. Other than these two states there is a considerable increase in the livestock population all over the country.
*Kerala has a 6.34% rise in state livestock population in the latest census. The population went to 2.9 million (2019) from 2.7 million (2012).
Fig.4. Kerala’s Livestock population
(Source: The Hindu Daily)
POULTRY POPULATION IN INDIA
The total poultry population in India has increased by about 16.81% from 729.21 million (2012) to 851.81 million (2019) and Tamil Nadu is in first position in the Indian poultry population about 120.8 million (2019) followed by Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal.
Table.5. Poultry population in major states of India
| S.No | States | Population in 2019 census
( in millions ) |
| 1 | Tamil Nadu | 120.8 |
| 2 | Andhra Pradesh | 107.9 |
| 3 | Telangana | 80.0 |
| 4 | West Bengal | 77.3 |
| 5 | Maharashtra | 74.3 |
| 6 | Karnataka | 59.5 |
| 7 | Assam | 46.7 |
| 8 | Haryana | 46.3 |
| 9 | Kerala | 29.8 |
| 10 | Odisha | 27.4 |
KERALA STANDS WHERE?
- Overall milk production of India in 2018-19 is 187749 thousand mt tons and Kerala contributes about 1.36% of national milk production with 2548 thousand mt tons (Data retrieved from NDDB)
- Kerala has Meat production of 457.41 thousand MT. which contributes 5.64% of national meat production in the year 2018-19. (BAHS). Poultry contributes a major portion of state meat production with 178.03 thousand MT. Cattle were contribute 152.57 thousand MT. Pork production under the year of the report was 7.11 thousand MT. There is no mutton production in the state.
- The total egg production in the year 2018-19 is estimated about 1033176.31 lakhs and the egg production in Kerala state is about 22905.99 lakhs. That is 2.22% of total national egg production.
| Fig.5. Milk production (in 000 MT) | Fig.6.Production (in 000 MT) |
| Fig.7. Share of egg production |
CONCLUSION
The Livestock population in India had been on an increasing trend for the past decade. The growth rate of bovine shows a slight decrease due to the slow growth rate of cattle but it is balanced by an increased buffalo population. The growth rate of pigs is decreased over the period and necessary schemes and proper developmental planning of swine growth must be implemented. Regarding Kerala, the increasing and decreasing trends in livestock population had been observed overall and in different species over some time.
Steps must be taken in preventing Rural to urban migration, Development and maintaining common grazing land, Improving fodder cultivation, Providing proper health care features for livestock in time, Proper vaccination of animals and prevention of diseased, Capacity building about scientific managemental practices, Easy access for credit facilities and strengthening the market channels, Reduce the number of intermediates, etc. by doing this will increase the profit by reducing the production cost and may increase the livestock population and production. It will give more livelihood security to the farming community
REFERENCES
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/livestocks-contribution-to-indian-economy/
- Official data National Accounts Statistics-2019, Central Statistical Organisation, GoI
- 20th Livestock census, 2019, Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying and Fisheries, GoI
- Milk production data retrieved from nddb.coop
- Staff Reporter, 6.34% rise in state’s Livestock Count, The Hindu Daily, 19.02.2021
- P. Sonavale, M. R. Shaikh, M. M. Kadam, and V. G. Pokharkar, Livestock Sector in India: A Critical Analysis, Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 2020, 38(1): 51-62
