The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched various initiatives related to the agricultural and animal husbandry sector worth around Rs 23,300 crore in Washim, Maharashtra today. Prime Minister launched Unified Genomic Chip for cattle and indigenous sex-sorted semen technology.

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said in his address that today Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated two programs of the Animal Husbandry Department, Sex Sorted Semen and Genomic Chip for the benefit of the livestock.  Sex sorted semen is very effective in breed improvement and till now it was  manufactured by multinational companies. Its price was Rs.800, which was not available to the farmers at an affordable rate. Under the  Prime Minister's 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative,  the National Dairy Development Board under the Animal Husbandry Department has invented sex sorted semen worth Rs. 250, which was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Now this sex sorted semen will be available to the farmers for Rs. 250 which will help in improving the livestock breed. It is administered in three shots, and trials have shown that artificial insemination using this method results in 70-80% female calves and fewer male calves. This is the key feature of sex-sorted semen.

Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh said that genomic chip is based on DNA which proves to be very effective in genetic improvement of the cattle. The whole world – USA, Denmark, Netherlands used this technology which has resulted in genetic improvement of their livestock.  He said that this genomic chip will prove beneficial in the direction of genetic improvement of the livestock which will be beneficial for the farmers. Prime Minister Shri Modi also inaugurated Cow Chip for Cows and Mahish Chip for Buffaloes.

The Union Minister said that under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, in the last 9 years, our country is at the first place in the world in the field of milk production. Milk production in India has increased by 57.62% in the last 9 years and this is a world record. Today in the world, milk production increases at an annual rate of two percent, whereas in India milk production increases at an annual rate of 6%.  He said that it is the result of Rashtriya Gokul Mission that today we are at number one in milk production in the world. Shri Singh expressed his  heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for inaugurating the two schemes of the Animal Husbandry Department.

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