“The farmers should adapt themselves according to the changing socio-economic conditions and must do the marketing of their produce to fetch justifiable price in the global market. It is high time for the farmers to realize that they have to break the vicious cycle of wheat-paddy cultivation and have to opt for subsidiary occupations like pig farming, goatery, fishery, poultry and dairy farming.” It was said by Balbir Singh Sidhu Animal Husbandry, Fishery and Dairy Development Minister, Punjab while addressing the gathering of progressive pig farmers at State level seminar organized at Livestock Bhawan, Mohali to encourage the farmers to opt for pig farming occupation.Sidhu exhorted the farmers that the social economic condition at the global stage is fast changing so the farmers should also adept themselves according to changing situations. He said that the farmers must not depend on the middle men for the marketing of their produce instead they should master the skills of marketing to sell their produce in the open market so as to get the reasonable price of their yield. Elaborating upon the importance of pig farming the Minister said that there is huge demand of Punjab’s pork meat in the seven north eastern States.
He said that the quality of Punjab’s pork meat is considered to be the best in north eastern States. He asked the farmers to set up pig farming units after taking proper training from the department.Animal husbandry Minister said that the there is no dearth of funds for the farmers to establish pig farming units. He said that the State Government has earmarked Rs. 2.20 Crore for setting up 110 Units of pig farming. He said that in one unit 20 female pigs and 4 male pigs are provided by the Government. He said that in 5 months 1800 pig farmers have been imparted technical training by the animal husbandry department. He said that a proposal to set up 3000 more units of pig farming in the State has also been forwarded to the Union Government where as another proposal to set up 1000 units of goatery is under the consideration of the Union Government for its approval.Other prominent speakers who shared their experience and technical advice with the progressive pig farmers included Dr. Amarjit Singh, Director Animal Husbandry, Dr. Inderjit Singh, Director Dairy Development, Dr. Madan Mohan, Director Fishery, Mr. Hakesh Chand Sharma, Political Secretary to Animal Husbandry Minister, Dr. Harsh Mohan Walia, Deputy Director Animal Husbandry (Poultry), Dr. Vinod Kumar Jindal and progressive farmer Sukhwinder Singh Kotli.