Attaining Self-Reliance in Milk, Eggs, Fish and Meat in North-East India

Northeast India comprises of eight states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. These states are often called the "Seven Sisters" with Sikkim being referred to as the "brother" state.

Given the production, consumption pattern and demand- supply gap of meat and fish in the NE region, it is a matter of concern to the policy makers and various stakeholders to look into meat and fish sector in a holistic way.

Increasing local milk production is important for enhancing food and nutritional security, boosting the rural economy and addressing the market potential and livelihoods of millions. Hence, Self-sufficiency in milk is crucial for India's Northeast, a region that currently falls far short of its dairy needs.

The majority of eggs and poultry are currently imported from other parts of India, creating economic leakages and dependence. Achieving self-sufficiency offers substantial benefits, from improving regional food security to driving economic growth and creating jobs.

Despite abundant water resources, India's Northeast (NE) region is a net importer of fish, creating a substantial demand-supply gap. Achieving self-sufficiency is crucial to address nutritional security, create employment, boost economic growth, and ensure access to fresh, healthy, and safe local produce.

Meat production in Northeast India is significant with a strong preference for poultry and pork, but the region faces a substantial supply-demand gap due to low per-animal yield and high consumption. The region currently faces a significant demand-supply gap, importing large quantities of pork from other states. This reliance on external sources creates economic vulnerability and food security risks, which local initiatives are working to overcome.

High demand-supply gap indicates the opportunities of meeting the demand either by increasing the production or by internal trade with other states which are in surplus which points at the opportunities for agribusiness sector, for internal trade as well as employment opportunities.