ID :
346351
Fri, 10/31/2014 - 13:57
Auther :

Thailand to increase cattle population

BANGKOK, October 31 (TNA) - Thailand, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, will urgently implement strategies to increase the population of cattle, including water baffaloes and beef cattle. Acknowledging that Thai water buffaloes could become extinct over the next 4-5 years as their population have been plunging, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya told journalists that he will propose strategies to prevent the extinction to the Cabinet over the next two weeks. Considering the issue as his first priority, Pitipong said that the population of Thai water buffaloes have been critically falling by 100,000 yearly to stand at about 800,000 now due to domestic consumption and exports, while annual imports of 20,000 water buffaloes from neighboring countries could not solve the crisis because of its small amount. Pitipong cautioned if the situation continued, Thai water buffaloes could go extinct over the next 4-5 years. According to the minister, he has also ordered the Department of Livestock Development to limit water buffalo exports, ban exports of female buffaloes to keep them for breeding and apply modern breeding technology to increase the Thai water buffalo population to 1.2 million within 10 years to prevent the extinction, stressing that he will submit the proposed strategies to the Cabinet for further consideration within two weeks. The minister noted that water buffaloes are closely related to the Thai society and cultures in many dimensions. The minister stated that the population of local beef cattle have also plunging, standing at about 4.3 million now, due to exports to neighboring countries where their prices are higher and he will also propose plans on increasing the population of beef cattle to the Thai Cabinet for further consideration in the near future. (TNA)

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