Meat and meat products are a great demand in Nagaland. Meat is an integral part of a Naga meal. Almost cent percent of the population consumes meat and also there is no taboo associated with consumption of any kind of meat. The state imports animal husbandry products worth Rs 221.97 crores per annum as per Sample Survey Report of 2009-10. Backyard piggery is a common trend in rural household. One or two local or cross bred pig are fattened for domestic consumption during feast, festival and other ceremonial occasion or sold to satisfy family demands. The marketing of meat and meat products is not organized and is still at a state of infancy. Pork is marketed in villages by slaughtering one or two animals once in a week or as special occasions. The realization on the cost of skin, bristles, hoof, teeth, blood etc. is poor. In urban areas hot meat is sold in open in regular or weekly markets displayed in a gunny bag, banana leafs or polythene sheet. There is no formal infrastructure for slaughter and display meat cuts. This enterprise holds ample avenues of employment and economic development when the problems are addressed and prospects are exploited.
Constraints:
1. Deficit of breeder farms to cater the demand of piglets: Backyard rearing of 1-2 pigs upto 7-8 months for fattening is a common scenario in the state. The problem in the system is that the farmers has to wait for a long time after selling one crop, as piglets are not readily available in the locality/village. The farmer purchases from the middlemen at a higher price which ultimately increases the cost of production.
2. Quality germplasm: The major constraint in piggery development is lack of superior germaplasm and majority pigs are non descript with poor reproductive traits.
3. Disease outbreaks: Like other farm animals pigs are also susceptible to wide range of diseases of parasitic, bacterial and viral origin. Swine fever, piglet scour, FMD, etc. at times may cause serious loss if timely treatment and immunization is not followed.
4. Public health significance: The meat produced for the market is sold as hot meat in the open. Butchers or retailer clean the offals in the stream, pond or tank which expose the carcass to maximum contamination and pose health hazard to the consumers. Pigs may harbor certain parasitic, bacterial, viral and protozoal diseases which may be transmitted to human that may affect directly, or be food borne.
5. Lack of awareness/information campaign: Pig breeding requires some technical knowledge on breed, selection of male and female pigs, heat detection, care and management of pregnant sow and newborn piglets etc.
Prospects:
1. Potential market: In spite of big potential because of large meat consuming population, the meat industry in Nagaland has not taken its due share. Time gap between slaughter and the sale is very short. Therefore deterioration of the quality of the meat is less and early monitory return is ensured.
2. Private Breeder farms: A strong need has been felt to establish sufficient pig breeder farms to produce quality disease-free animals. Unemployed youth and young entrepreneurs can take up pig breeding as full time enterprise. This will reduce the dependency on other states to cater the demand of quality piglets. Furthermore it will provide employment opportunities for many.
3. Establishing Disease-Free Zones: The mortality in the piglets and adults can be greatly reduced with mass vaccination and de-worming. Improved bio-security and hygiene at farm level are essential in controlling zoonotic diseases. It must be ensured that farm workers are protected and that pork is a safe, sound and wholesome.
4. Setting up of the State-of-Art-Abattoirs: Mostly pigs are slaughtered in unregistered slaughter houses in small numbers ranging from 2 –5 by the individual butchers and meat is sold fresh on the same day. State-of-the-art abattoirs are the need of the hour considering the human health hazard and to optimize profitability. There will also be great change with the establishment of the feedlots as a backward integration to the processing plants.
5. Value addition: A wide variety of pork products such as pork sausages, pork kofta, pork loaves, salami, samosa, petties, pickle etc are entering into the market. A slaughter house generated a wide range of by-products suitable for further processing. Low value by-products such as hoofs, fat, blood, tail, tongue ect can be utilized for maximum benefit. There are only very few companies in India which have recently come forward for producing pet food. The international market has huge demand of pet foods. The slaughter houses produce large quantities of raw material for pet food, which can be commercially exploited.
Constraints and opportunities are integral part of any entrepreneurial activity. Commercial Pig production is lucrative venture when approached with a scientific outlook and entrepreneurial attitude.
Constraints:
1. Deficit of breeder farms to cater the demand of piglets: Backyard rearing of 1-2 pigs upto 7-8 months for fattening is a common scenario in the state. The problem in the system is that the farmers has to wait for a long time after selling one crop, as piglets are not readily available in the locality/village. The farmer purchases from the middlemen at a higher price which ultimately increases the cost of production.
2. Quality germplasm: The major constraint in piggery development is lack of superior germaplasm and majority pigs are non descript with poor reproductive traits.
3. Disease outbreaks: Like other farm animals pigs are also susceptible to wide range of diseases of parasitic, bacterial and viral origin. Swine fever, piglet scour, FMD, etc. at times may cause serious loss if timely treatment and immunization is not followed.
4. Public health significance: The meat produced for the market is sold as hot meat in the open. Butchers or retailer clean the offals in the stream, pond or tank which expose the carcass to maximum contamination and pose health hazard to the consumers. Pigs may harbor certain parasitic, bacterial, viral and protozoal diseases which may be transmitted to human that may affect directly, or be food borne.
5. Lack of awareness/information campaign: Pig breeding requires some technical knowledge on breed, selection of male and female pigs, heat detection, care and management of pregnant sow and newborn piglets etc.
Prospects:
1. Potential market: In spite of big potential because of large meat consuming population, the meat industry in Nagaland has not taken its due share. Time gap between slaughter and the sale is very short. Therefore deterioration of the quality of the meat is less and early monitory return is ensured.
2. Private Breeder farms: A strong need has been felt to establish sufficient pig breeder farms to produce quality disease-free animals. Unemployed youth and young entrepreneurs can take up pig breeding as full time enterprise. This will reduce the dependency on other states to cater the demand of quality piglets. Furthermore it will provide employment opportunities for many.
3. Establishing Disease-Free Zones: The mortality in the piglets and adults can be greatly reduced with mass vaccination and de-worming. Improved bio-security and hygiene at farm level are essential in controlling zoonotic diseases. It must be ensured that farm workers are protected and that pork is a safe, sound and wholesome.
4. Setting up of the State-of-Art-Abattoirs: Mostly pigs are slaughtered in unregistered slaughter houses in small numbers ranging from 2 –5 by the individual butchers and meat is sold fresh on the same day. State-of-the-art abattoirs are the need of the hour considering the human health hazard and to optimize profitability. There will also be great change with the establishment of the feedlots as a backward integration to the processing plants.
5. Value addition: A wide variety of pork products such as pork sausages, pork kofta, pork loaves, salami, samosa, petties, pickle etc are entering into the market. A slaughter house generated a wide range of by-products suitable for further processing. Low value by-products such as hoofs, fat, blood, tail, tongue ect can be utilized for maximum benefit. There are only very few companies in India which have recently come forward for producing pet food. The international market has huge demand of pet foods. The slaughter houses produce large quantities of raw material for pet food, which can be commercially exploited.
Constraints and opportunities are integral part of any entrepreneurial activity. Commercial Pig production is lucrative venture when approached with a scientific outlook and entrepreneurial attitude.
Dr Debojyoti Borkotoky
Subject Matter Specialist (Animal Science)
KVK, NRCM, Phek
