Advisor to the Governor, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, today called for a sustained campaign to create awareness amongst the educated youth about the huge potential that poultry farming and business offers in the State.The Advisor was addressing the Poultry Conference, here at SKICC today, which was organized by the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), in association with Jammu Poultry Association and Kashmir Valley Poultry Farmers Association.Principal Secretary, Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Fisheries and Transport Department, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Shailendra Kumar, Chairman, J&K Bank, Parvez Ahmad, Deputy General Manager, NABARD Qamar Javed, President, KCC&I, Javed Ahmad Tenga, President, Jammu Poultry Association, Baljeet Singh and President, Kashmir Valley Poultry Farmers Association, G M Bhat and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.Emphasizing upon the need to connect with youth having entrepreneurial skills, Ganai urged the officials of the Animal Husbandry Department to become the wheels of change in tapping the potential of poultry farming and business in the state.Seeking support from the lending organizations to remove bottlenecks in providing loans and working capital to the youth to start their ventures, the Advisor highlighted the contribution of J&K Bank to entrepreneurship development in the state. “J&K Bank has always been in the forefront of providing financial assistance to our youth. We urge them now to customize their schemes to encourage poultry farming and industry,” he added.
The Advisor stated that poultry was already listed as a thrust industry in the State Industrial Policy 2016. He said that processing in poultry products like meat and eggs can be a game changer and help make the state a net exporter as against being a net importer at present.The Advisor stated that the departmental officials had a big role to play in raising awareness about the schemes and business opportunities in the sector and even the poultry associations have a critical role to play in spreading awareness.The Advisor urged upon the Principal Secretary, A&SHD and Principal Secretary I&C to ensure delivery of full benefits to poultry farmers and entrepreneurs under various schemes in their respective departments. He also appreciated the efforts of the Animal & Sheep Husbandry Department in the development of poultry sector in the state.The Principal Secretary, A&SHD, Fisheries and Transport Department stated that poultry sector had made great progress during the last few decades and this would not have been possible without the efforts of the Department of Animal Husbandry. He assured that the department was doing everything possible for the benefit of farmers and will continue to work for them. He also highlighted the achievements of the department and complimented the poultry farmers for standing tall despite difficulties. He appealed to all stake holders including J&K Bank to come forward to help the poultry farmers and entrepreneurs.The Principal Secretary I&C, assured all support to the youth who venture in poultry sector, adding that they will be considered for incentives under the State’s extant industrial policy as poultry had been listed as a thrust industry. He also stated that poultry had great scope in the state as there was a need for about Rs 5000 crore investment in the sector. He added that this investment could generate a turnover of about Rs 950 crores which was presently going out of the state for purchase of day old chicks, eggs and poultry birds for table purpose.