December 18, 2024
West Bengal tops India's meat production, records strong growth in livestock sector
West Bengal has emerged as the leading producer of meat in India, contributing 12.6% to the national output, according to India's Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2024.
The state's achievement was attributed largely to its strong poultry production, surpassing other major contributors like Uttar Pradesh (12.3%), Maharashtra (11.3%), Telangana (10.8%), and Andhra Pradesh (10.4%).
The state also recorded an annual growth rate of 10.9% in meat production among 20 major livestock-producing states, significantly higher than the national average of 4.9%.
West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her satisfaction over the milestone. "I am delighted to know that Bengal became India's highest animal protein producer, overtaking even the large state of Uttar Pradesh.
Banerjee cited findings from the report, which highlighted that Bengal's per capita meat availability stood at 13.1 kg, one of the highest among the major livestock-producing states.
West Bengal also reported significant progress in milk production, registering the highest annual growth rate of 9.7%, compared to the all-India average growth rate of 3.7%. Other states that recorded notable growth in milk production include Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and Himachal Pradesh.
The poultry sector has been another area of success for Bengal. The state recorded an annual growth of 18% in egg production, far exceeding the national average growth rate of 3.1%. The per capita availability of eggs in Bengal reached 164 in 2023-24. Telangana, however, leads the nation with a per capita availability of 483 eggs.
In 2022-23, Bengal achieved the highest annual growth rate in egg production at 20.1%. The state also ranked second in milk production growth, recording an annual increase of 8.6%. During the same period, Bengal was the second-largest meat producer in the country, contributing nearly 12% of the national output.
The state government's initiatives have played a key role in driving these achievements. Bengal has worked toward meeting its annual requirement of 14.4 billion eggs and achieving self-sufficiency. The state is now the fourth-largest producer of poultry eggs, contributing 9.9% of the national production.
In the backyard poultry sector, which provides livelihoods for many women and self-help groups, the government distributed 5.881 million chicks and ducklings to 5,88,122 beneficiaries as of December 2023. This marked a significant increase from 4.302 million distributed in 2021-22. The state has set a target of distributing 15.2 million chicks and ducklings for 2023-24.
"These achievements are testaments to our innovative policies and programmes and indicate the robust strength of our farmers and producers," Banerjee said.
- Time of India
