Balanced feed of livestock Total Mixed Ration or TMR will play an important role in producing quality milk and meat, said Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim.
The minister said this while addressing the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of the newly established Total Mixed Ration (TMR) factory by the Department of Livestock under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock at Savar on Thursday. This state-of-the-art TMR factory has been set up in German technology for the production of balanced and digestible fodder for cattle under the project titled Expansion of Artificial Breeding Program and Implementation of Embryo Transfer Technology of the Department of Livestock. At this time, the minister also said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has provided all necessary opportunities for planning, research, sponsorship and support in the livestock sector after coming to power. Today livestock production has reached the point of not only achieving self-sufficiency but also reaching the point of export abroad. He also said that due to the development of the country's livestock, a large part of the food is coming from the milk and meat supply sector. The supply of animal meat is coming from this sector. Livestock farmers are eliminating unemployment by becoming entrepreneurs. Rural economy is moving. Opportunities are being created to export meat and meat products abroad. Thus the livestock sector is contributing to the development of the country. It also plays a major role in the country's economy.
The chief guest further added that sustainable development of the livestock sector is now our goal. It is not enough to increase the production of meat and milk. Cattle must be properly bred and reared to produce the ingredients that meat and milk must contain. TMR has been initiated in the country with the aim of achieving self-sufficiency in the sector to produce balanced feed for cattle and prevent wastage of feed and stop the trend of importation of feed from abroad. The first TMR factory has been established in the country under government initiative. TMR will initially reach government farms and gradually it will be given to private farms. If the private sector wants to establish such a TMR factory, the government will provide assistance and tax waiver - said the minister. The minister further added, we do not want to look abroad for fish food and animal feed. For those who would be farmers or producers in the livestock sector, they must also take into account the issue of animal feed production. The government will provide all kinds of support including policy making and technical assistance, research assistance.
Earlier, the minister inaugurated the TMR factory by unveiling the nameplate and cutting the ribbon and toured the factory.
After the official inauguration of the TMR factory, in response to a question from the journalists, the minister said that there has been an unprecedented development of livestock in Bangladesh with the patronage of the Sheikh Hasina government and the combined efforts of private entrepreneurs. When it comes to importing all the animal food from abroad, like the foreign exchange goes away, in many cases due to various problems in the international scope, the import of animal food has to face a crisis. As a result, there are many harmful conditions in this sector. For this, the government has built a TMR factory with German machinery and technology with the aim of producing complete animal feed within the country. The supply of nutritious and quality food for animals through TMR is the beginning in Bangladesh. This section will be delivered from the center to the marginal level. As a result, mass production of livestock will increase in quality.
Dr. Enamur Rahman, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Dr Emdadul Haque Talukder, Dr ahid Rashid and the special guests gave speeches in the opening ceremony under the chairmanship of the director general of the Directorate of Livestock. Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute Director General Dr. SM Jahangir Hossain and Savar Municipality Mayor Abdul Ghani were present as invited guests. Dr. Jasim Uddin, Director of Artificial Reproduction Program Expansion and Embryo Transfer Technology Implementation Project, gave the welcome speech.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and Directorate of Livestock and stakeholders of the livestock sector were present on the occasion.
