According to The Himalayan, the Ministry of Agriculture Development has projected livestock sector growth to stand between 2.36 per cent and 6.68 per cent. According to the ministry, chicken meat production will grow at the highest rate (6.68 per cent) and pork production will witness a downward trend.

The country will produce 43,112 metric tonnes of chicken meat amid the continuous bird flu outbreaks across the country, while egg production will touch 838.94 million eggs in the current fiscal year. Similarly, mutton production will increase by 2.62 per cent with net production of 295,486 metric tonnes. Last year, total mutton production was at around 287,930 metric tonnes.

A marginal growth of 1.58 per cent is expected in buff, and pork will see growth of 2.36 per cent. Buff production will reach 175,145 metric tonnes from 172,414 metric tonnes last year, while pork meat will touch 18,709 metric tonnes.

However, duck meat production will decrease from 217 metric tonnes to 216 metric tonnes. Fish production will be down by 0.07 per cent to 13,050 metric tonnes.

Total meat production — mutton, chicken, buff and pork — will be about 295,486 metric tonnes. The production is sufficient for consumption of about 11.15 kg meat per person for the 26.49 million population of the country. Similarly, per capita milk availability will be at around 64.45 litres.

Ministry expects milk production to be 1,681,093 metric tonnes — 492,377 metric tonnes from cows and 1,188,716 metric tonnes from buffaloes — this year.