Analysis on trends of geographic and demographic distribution of buffalo population and production in India

Abstract

India with 109.85 million buffaloes holds the largest population of buffaloes in the world. Besides, high quality milk with higher protein and fat, buffaloes provide meat, hide, manure and draught power. The present status of buffalo population and production in terms of their geographic and demographic distribution in India was evaluated. It is estimated that population of buffaloes will increase to 126.055 million by 2031. Only four states of India (Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh) hold the 61.50 percent of the total buffalo population of the country. The districts of Agra, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Firozabad, Mathura, Kasganj and Hathras in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh has the highest density of 236.8 buffaloes per km2. Banaskantha district in Gujarat has the highest population (1.502 million) of buffaloes followed by Jaipur (1.214 million) and Alwar (1.145 million) in Rajasthan and Budaun (1.107 million) in Uttar Pradesh. In terms population density per km2, again Uttar Pradesh has highest density of buffaloes (137.0) followed by Delhi (109.3), Haryana (98.8) and Bihar (82.0). During 2018-19, buffaloes contributed 91.817 and 1.546 million tonnes of milk and meat, respectively. Among the breeds of Indian buffaloes, Murrah has the largest population. Murrah and its grades, in fact, now form 45.81 percent of the total buffalo population of India. Bhadawari and Nili-Ravi now have lesser population than Murrah in their respective native states of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. In view of deteriorating population of majority of buffalo breeds, it is imperative to formulate suitable programmes of genetic improvement, development and conservation of precious buffalo genetic resources available in India. Genetically improved germplasm of these breeds may also be used in grading up of nondescript buffalo population in their respective breeding tracts.