The Centre has asked the states to provide timely and reliable data on the animal husbandry and dairying sector in the country.

Addressing a meeting for improvement of animal husbandry and dairying statistics in New Delhi today, Secretary in the Department of animal husbandry and dairying G C Pati said, important decisions relating to production, investment, procurement and policy formulation are taken on the basis of these data. Mr Pati also asked the states to send their seasonal as well as annual data on production estimates of milk, eggs, meat and wool.

He said timely finalisation of seasonal estimates related to animal husbandry and dairying is vital for monitoring the progress in the sector and for the preparation of quarterly estimates of GDP from the livestock sector.

Mr Pati, however, said only some states and union territories like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal and Uttrakhand has given their data on time.

He said that substantial production in the sector of animal husbandry is visible in the country and immense potential exists for further growth. Therefore, there is need to capture this growth in a more systematic and substantial manner.