Publication Date

1989

Location

Nice France

Description

In India, out of the total reporting area of 304.21 m ha, forest covers 67.32 m ha (22.13 per cent) while permanent pastures, miscellaneous tree crops and groves, cultivable wastelands and fallow lands altogether cover 53.78 m ha (17.68 per cent). These are the potential areas available for grazing in one or other form. Only 4 per cent of the area of the cultivated land is under fodder crops which is far less compared to large livestock popu­lation (more than 400 million). In last ten years, the increase in cattle population had been about 7 per cent, buffalo and sheep 20 per cent each and a phenomenal increase of more than 40 per cent in goat population. The requirement of forage by AD 2000 is estimated at 822 m t as against the availability of only 478 m t at present. This widening gap is expected to increase unless necessary means are developed to increase herbage pro­duction from large chunk of land facing different kinds of stress environment.

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Herbage Production from Grassland Under Stressed Environments in India

Nice France

In India, out of the total reporting area of 304.21 m ha, forest covers 67.32 m ha (22.13 per cent) while permanent pastures, miscellaneous tree crops and groves, cultivable wastelands and fallow lands altogether cover 53.78 m ha (17.68 per cent). These are the potential areas available for grazing in one or other form. Only 4 per cent of the area of the cultivated land is under fodder crops which is far less compared to large livestock popu­lation (more than 400 million). In last ten years, the increase in cattle population had been about 7 per cent, buffalo and sheep 20 per cent each and a phenomenal increase of more than 40 per cent in goat population. The requirement of forage by AD 2000 is estimated at 822 m t as against the availability of only 478 m t at present. This widening gap is expected to increase unless necessary means are developed to increase herbage pro­duction from large chunk of land facing different kinds of stress environment.