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Drought poses threat to livestock in B'stan

RECORDER REPORT

QUETTA: Persistent drought conditions for the past three years prevailing in cattle, goats and sheep breeding areas in Balochistan have posed a potent threat to livestock an official spokesman said here on Tuesday.

He said to save the livestock from near starvation in parched dry range lands, the present provincial government has come out with a package relief for the livestock and livestock breeders. The package with immediate effect, ensures delivery of concentrated pellet ration for each mattle breeder initially for 50 heads of his sheep and goats for six weeks period.

This free feeding would save pregnant ewes goats from malnutrition and develop growth of healthy lams in wombs.

Moreover, this would also result in the production of enough milk for their new born lambs.

Under the first phase more than 2,000 sheep and goat breeders would be benefited. Later, similar benefits would be extended to remaining sheep, goats and other livestock breeders to save livestock population.

Answering a question, the spokesman said that such idea for relief package for the livestock struck the mind of provincial Governor Mir Amir-ul-Mulk Mengal who hails from the rural tribal cattle breeding area of Chagai.

To another question, the spokesman said such a relief package is all the more important to Balochistan, where livestock contributes more than 40 percent, to agriculture share in the provincial economy which in turn occupies about 52 percent share in the provincial GDP.

He said, Balochistan has potential for exporting more than one million cattle worth Rs. 4,000 million, over three million sheep and goats worth Rs. 3,600 million annually to the neighbouring Muslim countries mostly to the Gulf states.

He said there are bright chances for more export to many more foreign markets provided cattle, sheep and goats remain healthy.

The spokesman hoped for positive results from the relief package of free feed to the Balochistan breeders who possess 10.84 million out of Pakistan 23.5 million sheep and 9.37 million out of Pakistan 41.2 million goats.