Coimbatore: Taking into consideration the request of the pig farmers to remove the word 'swine' from 'swine flu' since it reportedly affects their livelihood, the Minister of Animal Husbandry, Udumalai K Radhakrishnan assured them that he would discuss the request with Minister S P Velumani and the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr C Vijaya Baskar. He also reassured them that if needed, he will escalate the issue to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
Coimbatore: Taking into consideration the request of the pig farmers to remove the word 'swine' from 'swine flu' since it reportedly affects their livelihood, the Minister of Animal Husbandry, Udumalai K Radhakrishnan assured them that he would discuss the request with Minister S P Velumani and the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr C Vijaya Baskar. He also reassured them that if needed, he will escalate the issue to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
Addressing the media in Coimbatore, K Radhakrishnan said that he had considered this request from the pig farmers since the Health Department had confirmed that pigs do not cause swine flu. "At the Exhibition-cum-Seminar for Pig Farmers hosted by TANUVAS, over 250 ranchers from 25 districts participated.
Even farmers can earn more by rearing pigs which was the main thought promoted by this seminar-cum-exhibition," noted the Minister for Animal Husbandry. He also cited that in the western countries, the value for pigs are more, and hence Tamil Nadu and Kerala have begun rearing pigs in large numbers to increase the number of pig buyers. Based on the suggestion of Minister S P Velumani, it has been decided to expand poultry farming from rural areas to Panchayats. K Radhakrishnan proudly stated that Tamil Nadu ranks first in Animal Husbandry, in India.
K Radhakrishnan announced that the foundation for the Integrated Livestock Park to be set up in Salem will soon be laid by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edapaddi K Palaniswami. Touted as Asia’s biggest, the 900-acre Integrated Livestock Park will be of international standards, encompassing the technologies and practices of the animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries sectors.
Apart from being profitable for the farmers, facilities are in place for international students to learn about the importing and exporting of foreign livestock. K Radhakrishnan also said that plans are afoot to organise an exhibition soon, related to all livestock in Coimbatore and veterinarians are also taking necessary steps to find a solution for the shortage of fodder for animals.
