India is currently experiencing a cataclysmic wave of COVID-19. What seemed like a meager flu and cough symptom when the first case was reported in Thrissur, Kerala on the 27th of January, 2020 has resulted in more than 332,000 infections today along with 2,250 deaths. The numbers have nearly destroyed all the prior records and presently attained a vertical coronavirus growth curve. Well, the story doesn’t halt here. Not only the number of cases have peaked but the daily reported death curve’s slope has attained a vertical picture too.

A fragile healthcare system is practically grappling with the rising number of patients begging for something we’ve never imagined in our wildest nightmare, Oxygen. Amidst this catastrophe, it’s highly important for us to know how has this pandemic affected the major forty-two sectors of the Indian Economy and that is where I bring forth to you the Sector Series where I will be speaking to the NGOs and people involved in various occupations and would be attempting to put forth an honest picture of the additional challenges every sector is fighting against.

Here’s presenting the first sector of the series, the Animal Husbandry and Poultry Sector of India in 2021.

Livestock and poultry have always been one of the fastest-growing sectors in recent years. However, the sheer inadequacy of country-wide information has posed to be a major bottleneck for a detailed understanding of the impact of the prolonged lockdown on the various sub-sectors of livestock and poultry. This very sub-sector of agriculture in the country had been contributing almost 4.9% of the total gross value added of the country and providing employment to about 8.8% population. It has undoubtedly been the largest provider of animal protein for both non-vegetarians and vegetarians in the country, with a population of approximately 537 million livestock and 852 million poultry.

But unfortunately, the impact COVID-19 and its associated lockdown has had on this very sector has been phenomenal. It is further anticipated that the impact would not only continue in the long run but will have a major bearing on employment.

Our country, with milk production of 188 million tonnes (as per 2019 data) had been growing by 6% annually since 2014-15. However, with the incidence of COVID-19, the overall demand reduced by 25-30% at least during the first month after the lockdown. As per reports, with the immediate declaration of lockdown, consumers tried purchasing milk in bulk in order to meet their requirements for the next couple of weeks, which had led to a surge of 15-20% demand initially. However, the subsequent days showed a drastic slowdown. With the eventual closing down of roadside tea stalls, eateries, and restaurants, a share of about 15% of total milk consumption had arrived to a complete halt.