Meat production rose by 47.5% in last 13 years

ISLAMABAD: The production of meat (mutton and beef) has been increased to 2.19 million tonnes in 2008-09 from 1.48 million tonnes in 1995-96 showing 47.5 percent increase, official sources told Daily Times here on Monday. The Livestock and Dairy Development sources said that the demand for livestock products including dairy and meat products would definitely rise in the coming years. The future demand would be even greater than the population growth rate and rapid urbanisation. They claimed that rise in income would be the second most important factor after population growth that would increase demand for livestock products. The sources claimed that the government had taken a number of initiatives for improvement in livestock production.