British firms evince interest in NE piggery sector

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Nov 29: Looking into the high demand of pig meat in the northeastern region and prospects of high profits in the piggery sector, British companies are now showing interest in expanding their business footprint in Northeast India.

In a conference held on Wednesday, UK Government’s Department for Intertiol Trade (DIT) brought a six-member Livestock Business Mission to Guwahati to showcase the best of British Agri-tech, especially in the piggery sector, and stated that the companies are optimistic of expanding their footprints in Northeast India for increasing the pig production in the region with the help of their expertise.

British Pig Association president Chrish Jackson said, “It’s the State Government which will let us know about their needs to raise pig farming in the region. We’ll accordingly provide our expertise to deal with it. We need to know what kind of pigs they are looking for. Accordingly, we can provide them with the list of suppliers who can provide the entire genetics. We can even provide expertise to handhold till the desired result is achieved.”

“Industry strategy in the UK is to develop markets. So it relies on multiple visits and long-time relationships with industry and the government of the country.  The British High Commission will play the most important role in building relationship with the countries till demonstrating to Indian farmers, entrepreneurs as to how they can benefit from enhanced genetics, advanced magement and the whole production chain of the UK,”Jackson added.

Jackson said: “The UK is a world leader in the livestock sector and with India planning to double agricultural production by 2022; we see major opportunities to support India in this direction. In October 2017 the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of India, has accepted UK’s revise Export Health Certificate for export of live swine from the UK for breeding in India. This move is expected to give a major fillip to the India-UK trade and collaboration in the piggery sector.”

British Deputy Head of Mission Kolkata Shahida Khan said, “Prime minster rendra Modi is absolutely right in his setting an ambitious target of 2022 to double agriculture production tionwide. But we cannot increase yield or mage the produce without technological advances in the Agri-food supply chain.

Agri Tech is a sector in which Britain is recognized as a world leader. It has contributed to the agricultural revolution with many technologies, now used all across the world.  So we think cooperation of the British companies to increase Northeast India’s pig farming can be beneficial for both the countries.”