Livestock industry facing problems: RCCI President
By Tariq Chaudhry

RAWALPINDI—The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) delegation headed by its President Jalil Ahmad Malik met Federal minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Sikandar Khan Bosan here on Wednesday. The delegation apprised Minister of different issues relating to Livestock.
The delegation included Senior Vice President RCCI Syed Mushtaq Ali Shah, Vice President RCCI Syed Raza Ali Saeed Shah, Baqaullah Khan, Syed Asad Mushdi and Amanullah Khan.
Speaking on the occasion, Jalil Malik said that Livestock industry was facing multiple problems such as lack of milk yielding animals, feed, fodder and their health. He said lack of advisory services, transportation, inefficient marketing system and distance from the village had resulted closure of several dairy farms and industrial units.
“The Pakistan Dairy Development Company should learn lesson from these constraints and implement their pilot project on sound footings”, he added.Jalil Malik said the government should give priority to the livestock development projects rather than continuing unnecessarily with baseline surveys.
He demanded of increasing in number of veterinary hospitals and special package to revive population in earthquake stricken areas. He also demanded implementation of the package announced by the provincial government for livestock farming.
While responding to queries of RCCI delegation, Federal Minister for food, Agriculture and livestock Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said the government was serious in resolving problems of livestock. He said livestock policy would be announced shortly and government had constituted a 21 members livestock board to help out the tribulations.He told that 15 members of the board related to private sector while 6members were taken from government side.
He said all provinces and bank had given exposure in livestock board. He said RCCI would be included in general body of the board. He said negotiations with banks were at last stage for giving loans at low mark up.