N.Z. SHEEP FOR INDIA

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30152, 8 June 1963, Page 5

N.Z. SHEEP FOR INDIA

Aid Under C.0.R.5.0.

In years to come the plains of India may be dotted with the descendants of a flock of sheep to be sent from New Zealand in 1963. bought with donations to C.0.R.5.0. for the Freedom from Hunger Campaign.

The establishment of a sheep-breeding industry in India is one of the schemes to remove hunger that the record response by the people of New Zealand to the recent Dominion-wide drive for funds for the Freedom from Hunger Campaign has made possible.

“The cost of the is being shared by the United States, the United Kingdom. Canada. Australia, and ourselves. Our share is £34.214 of which all but £2OOO will be spent in New Zealand.” the campaign committee's national secretary (the Rev. H. C Dixon) said recently. New Zealand's part in the scheme, he said, was to buyin New Zealand 690 ewes and 80 rams. The estimated cost of freighting the sheep to Calcutta and feeding them on the way was £16,500. At least three breeds of sheep would be sent—Romney. Southdown, and possibly Suffolk or Corriedale. They would be sent by rail from Calcutta to Malpura, Rajasthan, where the Indian Government, with help from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. was setting up a central sheep and wool research institute to carry out experimental work in all aspects of sheep-breed-ing and the uses of wool

“There are at present about 40 million sheep in India, bu’ they produce only about 21b of wool each and weigh about 501 b,” said Mr Dixon. “This scheme will help India to build up her economy so that she will be in a position to buy from us the inevitable deficiencies in her own supply of meat, wool, and other products.”

It was expected that ‘he sheep would arrive in India about September, he said.