THE SIDE EFFECTS OF MEAT EXPORTS
TEJINDER NARANG
Conventionally, Indian exports statistics of
agricultural items include all plantation crops, meat, poultry, marine and
dairy products etc. An analysis is made on the basis of data available from
2010 to 2016 of Agri-exports by “excluding” Buffalo/Sheep/Goat
/Processed meat, Poultry and Marine items that falls in a grey area of
terminology of real Agri exports. Reason--
products of animal flesh cannot be deemed “agricultural items” by any stretch
of imagination. (Dairy products are not excluded). Feeding animals for
slaughtering is a case of industrial production of buffalos/sheep/goat/chicken
rather than any farm related activity.
EXPORTS
Offsetting meat/marine products is vital to
measure the genuine exports of agro products rather than to be merely content
with illusion of higher exports by including these items. Segregated data gives
a reality check than a false sense of comfort.
As per the official data, farm exports climbed
up as from $ 18 billion in 2010 to$33 billion in 2016—up by 83%, with a peak of
$42-$43 billion in 2013 and 2014. (See chart 1) Exports of meat and marine items have risen
from $3.5 billion to $9billion from 2010 to 2015/ 2016—higher by 160% with a
high of $10.6 billion in 2015. This is consistent with the emerging global
trend wherein dietary preferences are shifting away from cereals and
grains to consumption of animal product. The effective or net increase in exports of plantations crops and their
products from India appears to be negative or marginal.
Agri -exports has been cited at 12-13 % of “total
national exports” in 2015-2016. But they are infact about 9 to 9.3% in last two
years when exclusion of meat/marine items is made. (See chart 2)That shows
reduction in real Agri exports by 3.3% to 3.5%. Exports of plantation crops in
India’s “total export” were 8% in 2010 and 9% in 2016—which shows negligible
sustainable growth in exports except for the small blip of 10%-11% in 2012 to
2014.
IMPORTS
Trend of rising Agri imports and falling rate
of Agri exports (w/o accounting for meat/marine shipments) will soon make India
a net importer of Agri products from vantage position of net exporter of Agri
in next few years. Imports are at $21.5 billion while exports are 23.8 billion
in 2016—a spread of barely $2.3 billion-- from highest spread of $19.6 billion
in 2013. With sharply ascending imports of edible oils, pulses and now, wheat
and sugar as well, the spread of $2.3 billion is bound to collapse.
RESOURCE
CONSTRAINTS
Usage of products derived out of animal
husbandry also implies that we are promoting inefficient production especially
for export too. Buffalo meat requires 25 times feed for “edible meat”; pork 10
times and chicken 5 times input for output as food. Water consumption for 1 kg beef is 15400
liters versus 1 kg rice at 2500 liters. One kg of sheep meat too requires about
10400 liters of water. Generally Indian rice
production and its exports is flagged for copious water consumption but meat production
is 6 times more water intensive than rice.
In terms of energy, 3 calories of
energy are needed to create 1 calorie of edible plant material, whereas
grain-fed beef requires some 35 calories for every calorie of beef
produced.
Global dietary trends continue to
move towards high meat content. In China between 1981 and 2004, the annual per
capita grain consumption declined from 145kg to 78kg in the cities, while over
the same period intake of meat products rose from 20kg to 29kg per year. There is no denying that
there is an ample demand of meat etc. in overseas markets but it requires to be
debated whether large crops should be consumed for fattening flesh of animals
for exports in preference to population
at home.
As per a report of Institute of Mechanical Engineers
London, “The challenge is that an increase in animal-based production
will require greater land and resource requirement, as livestock farming
demands extensive land use. One hectare of land can, for example, produce rice
or potatoes for 19–22 people per annum. The same area will produce enough lamb
or beef for only one or two people”.
Let this analysis be understood
objectively without relating to notion of vegetarian versus non –vegetarianism.
Idea is to submit facts so that exports of plantation crops be
incentivised; meat/marine/poultry
products may be classified as another category; efficient methods of crop
production with better yields be promoted keeping in view the rising potential
demand of grains/pulses/ oilseeds by understanding the limitation of land area
and availability of water.
When primordial pursuit of man
has been to attain higher efficiency economically in all spheres through
scientific and ethical means- whether in energy production, automobiles,
computers, trains etc.—why matters of consumption patterns of what is fed to
human beings are not being linked to precious resources conservations!! That
appears strange.
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