State Animal Husbandry Minister Rekha Arya has flagged off mobile wool cutting machine under wool cutting and marking scheme in Dehradun on Saturday.
Notably, sheep rearing is an important part of the State’s economy. As per the 19th animal census-2012, the state was having four lakh sheep with 17032 families using it as their livelihood. In the year 2015-16 , the wool production was 5133 quintal and currently the farmers are not getting appropriate price of their produce, prompting them to branch out in other works.
“In view of the problems the sheep farmers are facing in the state to transport raw wool, to grade and store their produce, the state government had started wool cutting and marketing scheme in December 2016. Under this project, the present state government has re-launched the scheme. Now wool will be cut through machine. We are now sending mobile wool cutting machines. We are struggling hard to understand how we can facilitate the farmers and wool production. Now, it is up to them to derive benefits,” she said.
On this occasion, she also convened a review meeting of Uttarakhand sheep and wool development board and approved their proposals. “28 educated youth of sheep farmers’ community will be imparted training. 17 selected youth have been sent to central sheep and wool research institute, Ambikanagar, Rajasthan. They were also trained in the noted wool mandi at Bikaner Rajasthan. Under this project 29 wool cutting machine camp and medical camp and 13 sheep exhibitions are proposed,” she said.
Arya has made mandatory registration for the sheep and goat farmers under the state sector scheme. “In eight districts under Union Government’s integrated sheep-wool improvement scheme we have been running. They are Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri, Pithoragarh, Dehradun, Pauri and Bageshwar. 2.5 lakh sheep will be examined,” she said, adding that they would start insurance scheme for the sheep-goat farmers. “Under the women goat farming scheme, the State Government is helping deserted women, widow, divyaang and disaster affected women,” she said.