KARACHI, March 1: The Sindh Assembly was informed on Tuesday that there were 5,215 poultry farms in 21 districts of the province.

According to a district-wise break-up, there are 585 poultry farms in Dadu; 497 in Mirpurkhas; 483 in Sanghar; 482 in Hyderabad; 477 in Khairpur; 460 in Tando Allahyar; 315 in Karachi; 250 in Badin; 232 in Tando Muhammad Khan; 228 in Kambar-Shahdadkot; 204 in Larkana; 189 in Thatta; 138 in Jamshoro; 125 in Sukkur; 109 in Shaheed Benazirabad (Nawabshah); 99 in Naushehro Feroze; 98 in Ghotki; 98 in Umerkot; 81 in Shikarpur; 34 in Jacobabad and 31 in Matiari.

In a written reply to a question asked by MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Livestock Minister Mir Abid Hussain Jatoi informed the house that only 16 new poultry farms were established in Sindh and that also in Khairpur during 2007-09.

Law Minister Ayaz Soomro replied to the supplementary questions of other members as the minister concerned was absent from the house.

He said these poultry farms were set up by private sector mostly in the outskirts of the city or towns.

To a question, the house was informed that presently there was only one Poultry Research Institute (PRI) in Sindh, which had been established in Karachi in 1958.

In reply to another question, the law minister said that these institutes would conduct multi-dimensional research work to control animal diseases to help their healthy growth.

In the written reply to another question of Ms Abbasi, the house was informed that government had not trained any village woman for livestock breeding during 2008-10.

The minister said that the government would extend all-out support to the womenfolk if they would come forward.

Regarding two schemes to increase milk and meat production in Sindh, the house was informed that a five-year scheme of development of milk and meat production was launched in 2006-07 and the current financial year was its last year.

Under the scheme seven offices of livestock production officers and 22 field artificial insemination centres had been completed while work on three offices and 29 such centres was underway.

The house was also told that there was no government dairy farm. However, livestock experimental stations and livestock breeding farms were functioning at Nabisar Road (Thari Cattle), Karachi (Red Sindhi Cattle), Tando Mohammad Khan (Red Sindhi Cattle), Rohri (Kundhi Buffaloes), Dadu (Kamori Goat) and Rohri (Kooka Sheep).

Moreover, three new farms were being established at Tando Allahyar (Bari Goat), Tando Adam (Pateri goat) and Dhoro Naro, Umerkot (Small Ruminants).

To a question by MPA Heer Ismail Soho, the house was informed that no livestock were registered during 2006-09 in Sindh.

The house was also informed that the government planned to establish cattle colonies under a public-private partnership in Karachi, Tharparkar, Umerkot and Khairpur and the work had been started on it.

The government also planned to establish Bhambore Dairy Village at Thatta for which the PC-I was in its final stage and work would begin this year.

On a question by Farheen Mughal, the house was informed that the government intended to create disease-free zones for livestock in Sindh and as a first step such zones would be created in Tharparkar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur and Badin.

It was further told that there were 172 veterinary hospitals and dispensaries and 786 veterinary centres with 1,739 staff in Sindh.