Jammu, Mar 2 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir government is set to import Romanov and Finn sheep breeds, and Boer and Swiss Alpine goat breeds from Russia, Finland, South Africa, and Switzerland to boost local wool and mutton production in Jammu and Kashmir, where 1,400 other foreign breeds have already been procured.

The import of Boer Goat and Swiss Alpine Goat is at an advanced stage and is expected to be completed during the current year, officials said.

Romanov and Finn sheep breeds and Boer and Swiss Alpine goat breeds are to be imported from Russia, Finland, South Africa, and Switzerland, respectively.

They said the Department of Sheep Husbandry has undertaken the import of superior germplasm aimed at improving growth rate, carcass yield, reproductive efficiency and overall flock productivity.

Genetic upgrade, they said, is a long-term strategy to enhance farmers' income and reduce dependence on mutton imports from outside the UT.

"Under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), Project-24 titled 'Self Sustenance in Mutton Production', 450 Dorper sheep were imported for the Jammu Division and 450 Texel sheep for the Kashmir Division during 2024–25," they added.

Sheep breeds of Merino, Dorper and Texel were imported from Australia, they said.

The imported breeds are being maintained at government breeding farms for multiplication, they said.

"Their progeny will be distributed among farmers in a phased manner from the third quarter of 2026–27 onwards to ensure systematic genetic upgrade of local flocks," the officials added.

Regarding steps to increase milk, poultry, livestock, wool, feed, and fodder production, they said a comprehensive employment-oriented strategy is being implemented with a focus on productivity enhancement, infrastructure creation, entrepreneurship development and market linkages, particularly in rural areas.

To increase milk production, the government said 40 high genetic merit bulls have been imported for dairy cattle upgrade and 351 satellite heifer rearing units established. PTI AB DIV TRB

Genetic upgrade initiative boosts local mutton and wool production via import of elite sheep and goat breeds. Importation of Romanov and Finn sheep and Boer and Swiss Alpine goats aims to implement a genetic upgrade of Jammu and Kashmir's small ruminant population to improve growth rates, carcass yield, reproductive efficiency and overall flock productivity. Imported germplasm will be multiplied at government breeding farms and progeny distributed to farmers in phases, with farmer-level distribution starting in the third quarter of 2026-27, as part of Project 24 under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme alongside complementary livestock and rural productivity measures.