Trends in Small Ruminant Meat Production, Import and Demand in Jammu and Kashmir State

The total sheep population of in Kashmir division was about 17.37 lakh heads, where as the sheep population in Jammu division was 23.47 lakh heads. Similarly the goat population of Kashmir division was around 21.68 lakh heads and that of the Jammu division was around 39.07 lakh heads. The mutton production in Kashmir province was 130.35 lakh Kg during the year 2008–09, followed by 131.42 lakh Kg in 2009–10 and 133.77 lakh Kg in 2010–11. The mutton production in the Kashmir division shows an increasing trend since 2002–03 with a positive slope of 1.37 lakh Kg per year (R²=0.897). A total of about 147 lakh sheep and goat heads have been imported into the state from the year 2006–07 to year 2016–17. The meat import shows an increasing trend up to year 2012–13 and thereafter shows a decreasing trend from 2012–12 to 2016 17. It was found that since 2006, the imported livestock consisted of about 96 per cent sheep and only 4 per cent goats. There is an increasing trend in the import of sheep and goat from 1973 to 2010. The regression equation gives a positive 2 slope of 0.57 lakh sheep/goats per year with R value of 0.7952. However, a decreasing trend (slope=-12058 quintals/2 year, R =0.3706) for import was found for the years 2010–2015. As per the projected population, production and import of mutton/chevon in the state, there is a deficit of 710.88 lakh Kg for the whole population. However there is a deficit of 257.57 lakh Kg for the non-vegetarian population of Jammu and Kashmir.