Jammu Kashmir Produces More Milk but Faces Huge Mutton Deficit

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir produces 28.75 lakh metric tonnes of milk annually, with a per capita availability of 577 grams per day—well above the national average of 471 grams. Yet, despite this surplus in dairy, the Union Territory faces a significant shortfall in mutton production, generating only 370 lakh kilograms of meat annually against a local demand of around 545 lakh kilograms, officials said on Wednesday.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a high-level meeting of the Agriculture Production Department (APD) to review measures aimed at enhancing milk and mutton production across the Union Territory. Emphasising that both sectors have immense growth potential, he said strategic policy interventions and sustained departmental support could not only boost production but also foster entrepreneurship and value addition.

“The region is primarily a consumer state,” Dulloo observed, “but there is tremendous potential for commercial expansion and even export of value-added dairy and meat products. We must move beyond basic packaging and branding to scientific processing that generates high-demand products, sustainable livelihoods, and new employment opportunities.”

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Shailendra Kumar, Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-Jammu, Managing Directors of HADP and Dairy Development, Directors of Agriculture and Sheep Husbandry from both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, and senior departmental officers.

Shailendra Kumar provided a comprehensive overview of the present status and consumption patterns of milk and mutton in the UT. He noted that dairy products are part of daily diets across Jammu and Kashmir, while mutton consumption is among the highest in the country, creating steady market demand. “Despite high per capita milk availability, only about 4% of milk production is currently organized, reflecting huge untapped potential,” he said. The department has set a target to bring at least 20% of production under the organized sector within the next 5–7 years.

To achieve this, APD plans to expand Artificial Insemination (AI) coverage, secure High Genetic Merit (HGM) bulls, establish facilities for sexed semen, and address fodder deficits through scientific feeding practices. Around 1,600 “PashuSakhis” have already been engaged to extend AI services at the grassroots level, while two semen stations are being set up in the UT. Additionally, the department is procuring 40 HGM bulls from the USA and establishing milk processing and chilling units in every district to strengthen the dairy value chain.

In terms of mutton production, Jammu and Kashmir currently has 43.68 lakh sheep and 22.5 lakh goats, producing about 370 lakh kilograms of meat and 80 lakh kilograms of wool annually, falling short of the local demand of 545 lakh kilograms. To bridge this gap, the department is adopting advanced breeding interventions such as Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) and Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer (MOET) to accelerate genetic improvement and herd productivity.

Plans are underway to establish Embryo Generation Labs with a target of producing 6,000 embryos annually, develop facilities for cryopreservation, and set up ETT laboratories in every district. Capacity-building programmes for veterinarians and para-veterinarians are also being rolled out to ensure effective implementation at the field level.

The Chief Secretary encouraged the department for its proactive initiatives and directed officials to work in mission mode, transforming both the dairy and sheep husbandry sectors into engines of rural growth, employment generation, and sustainable livelihoods. “Success in these sectors can create replicable models that inspire entrepreneurship, engage local communities, and meet both domestic demand and potential export opportunities,” he said.

Officials emphasised that with strategic interventions, value addition, and organized sector expansion, Jammu and Kashmir could not only secure local food requirements but also position itself as a supplier of high-quality dairy and meat products in wider markets. The department’s roadmap, combining technological, genetic, and infrastructural measures, is aimed at unlocking the full potential of the UT’s livestock and dairy sectors over the next decade.