Under the realigned National Livestock Mission of Department of Animal Husbandary and Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, which commenced in 2021 training on all aspects of Animal Husbandry Practices including that of animal feed production has been included. States are encouraged to take up the training component including providing of guidance and training required for packaged animal feed producers.
In addition, state Animal Husbandry Departments, National Dairy Development Board, Veterinary Universities and Indian Council of Agricultural Research institutes are providing guidance and training to farmers and entrepreneurs on regular basis to manufacture packaged animal feed products such as pallets, complete feed, area specific mineral mixture etc.
Under the National Livestock Mission Scheme, Central Government provides 50% capital subsidy (maximum up to Rs.50 Lac) to the beneficiaries of setting up of feed/fodder value addition unit for Hay/Silage/ Total Mixed Ration (TMR) TM preparation, Fodder block making or storage facilities for fodder.
Besides, Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund(AHIDF), a flagship scheme of DAHD under which Eligible Entitles(EE), that is individual entrepreneurs, private companies, FPOs, MSMEs and Section 8 companies are encouraged for the establishment of Animal Feed manufacturing plants and strengthening of existing units/ plant in the categories such as Establishment of Mini, Medium and Large Animal Feed Plants, Total Mixed Ration block Making Unit, by pass protein unit, Enrich silage making unit, Feed supplement/Feed Premixes, Mineral Mixture Plant and Animal Feed Testing Laboratory.
Eligible Entitles can avail loan up to 90% of the project cost for establishment of the feed manufacturing unit. Under the scheme, the Central Government provides 3.0% interest subvention with two years moratorium.
In general, to check the quality of packaged feed and cattle food, a compliance with BIS standards is practiced. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on 6th October 2021 has issued directive specifying that all commercial feeds intended for meat and milk producing animals have to comply with the BIS specifications (Indian Standard, IS 2052: 2009- Compounded Feeds for Cattle – Specifications, 4th revision) and shall carry the BIS mark which came into effect from 1st January 2022. This BIS specification prescribes that requirement and the methods of sampling and test for compounded cattle feeds for buffaloes, cattle and working bullocks. It is also specified that each bag of cattle feed shall be legibly marked or labeled, “Date of manufacture and best before from date of manufacture. BIS has already granted 124 licences to manufacturers for use of BIS standard mark on Compounded Feeds for Cattle as per Indian Standards IS 2052: 2009.
States such as Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Odisha have Livestock Feed acts under which law enforcement is done to ensure the quality of packaged animal feed and the expiry date printed on the packets.
Animal husbandry is the state subject. The State Governments have got responsibility to carry out these subsidized schemes for dairy producers. Different states have introduced their own schemes to make available the animal feed at lower prices. Also, the schemes implemented by the Central Government will enable increased availability of animal feed at lower rates. This information was given by Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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