December 29, 2008

India starts meat and poultry board

Home Minister P Chidambaram said that the board will be autonomous and will be initially facilitated by the government and be subsequently managed by the industry It is expected to boost growth of the sector, benefiting both the producers and processors.

Funds amounting to Rs 14.64 crore (US$ 3.029 million) will be injected over a period of three years, the Minister said.

The board would help the industry in setting up or modernising abattoirs through technical consultancy in production of hygienic meat.

It will also help utilise wastes of slaughterhouses to prepare value added animal byproducts, he pointed out.

Chidambaram said the new board aims to help the industry to zero in on harmonisation of domestic standards with global ones, developing uniform meat with a quality testing system and tackling environmental pollution issues.

The board, with headquarters in Delhi, will be registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.