4.15.1 Statistics of Livestock Products are obtained from two sources: (a) annual “Integrated Sample Survey for Estimation of Major Livestock Products”, a Centrally sponsored scheme under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying implemented by most of the States; and (b) periodical household enquiries by the NSSO relating to livestock.
4.15.2 The Integrated Sample Survey is a large-scale survey covering 15 per cent of the villages in the country. The survey design is that of multistage sampling with villages constituting the first stage, households as the second stage and animals from the selected households as the third and ultimate stage. The survey provides for estimation of livestock numbers as well as major livestock products (milk, meat, wool, eggs and the unit cost of production of milk and eggs).
4.15.3 The NSSO livestock surveys estimate the livestock possessed by the households with details relating to sex, breed, purchase price, market value, disposal of animals, etc. Further, NSSO consumer expenditure and enterprise surveys include data on household consumption of livestock products and dairy enterprises, respectively.
Deficiencies
4.15.4 Estimates of livestock products obtained through Integrated Sample Survey are reported to be fairly reliable at the all-India and State level. These are reviewed and validated periodically by a Technical Committee of Direction for Improvement of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Statistics. There are still a few data gaps relating to mutton, pork, poultry meat, meat by-products, livestock feed, fodder and concentrates. Information on conversion ratios such as milk to milk-products is either scanty or lacking.
Conclusions and Recommendations
4.15.5 The Integrated Sample Survey is carried out under the overall technical guidance of the IASRI that has developed the survey design and continues to provide technical inputs in the conduct of the survey. IASRI has several research programmes dealing with improvement of livestock statistics and it should be entrusted with the task of developing appropriate methodologies for filling up the remaining data gaps.
4.15.6 The Commission, therefore, recommends that:
The Integrated Sample Surveys should be continued and efforts should be made to fill up the existing data gaps.
The Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (IASRI) should be entrusted with the task of developing appropriate methodologies for filling up the remaining data gaps relating to estimates of mutton, pork, poultry meat, and meat by-products.
