Karnataka - Bidar

Veterinary university to set quality standards

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIDAR, SEPT. 10. Karnataka Veterinary, Animal, and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar, will act as the nodal agency in setting quality and quarantine standards for animal products, and train farmers to boost exports, the Vice-Chancellor, R.N. Srinivas Gowda, said here on Friday.

Addressing a press conference after his appointment, Dr. Gowda said that though India was the biggest producer of milk and the fourth largest producer of eggs in the world, neither milk powder nor eggs was being exported to developed countries. Exports of other products such as meat, chicken, and seafood were negligible.

"This is because our products do not meet the standards set by international agencies of the importing countries.

We need to create awareness among the farmers about the need to follow international standards and produce for an international market," Dr. Gowda said.

The university will also set standards for, and carry out extensive research in, organic farming, he said.

He said that the university planned to conduct soil surveys in the five districts of Hyderabad Karnataka to determine the types of animals that could be reared in the region.

Regular training programmes would be conducted for farmers at the university and on demonstration plots round the year. "This will equip them in modern rearing methods," he said

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu