The NABARD Assistant General Manager Prasad Rao said that 25 per cent subsidy will be given to those farmers who engage themselves in goat and rabbit rearing. 
Speaking at a training on goat and rabbit rearing organised under ‘Atma 2011-12 scheme’ of the Department of Animal Husbandry, he said the cost for a unit with 42 goats (40 female and 2 male) is Rs one lakh.
The cost of unit for rearing 500 female goats and two males will be Rs 25 lakh, of which, the farmer will get a subsidy of Rs 6.25 lakh.
About 10 per cent of the total cost should be borne by the farmer. The remaining fund can be raised through bank loan.
Even for rearing rabbits, one will have to spend a sum of Rs 2.2 lakh per unit, for which a subsidy of 25 per cent will be given. In case if the farmer belongs to SC/ST community, then he will get a subsidy of 33 per cent.
Lead Bank Manager Hemanth Bhide said the lead bank has earmarked Rs 2.5 crore towards rearing goats during 2011-12.
However, below Rs one lakh has been utilised till December.
“There are two successful goat rearing centres in Udupi. Inspite of loans, the farmers are not coming forward to avail the facility. Two months are remaining to utilise the available loan. As many as four farmers have come forward to avail the subsidy facility,” he said.
He said that there are 80 per cent of people who own less than one acre land in Dakshina Kannada. A large number of people own five cents land. There are 330 milk producers’ primary society. Lead bank has started a campaign to provide loan for dairy farming in the district. Along with rearing cattle, the small farmers can also rear goats. Rearing goat is easier than rearing cattle, he added. Zilla Panchayat Standing Committee on Agriculture and Industry President Naveen Kumar Menala said the farmers face problem, if they venture into farming without proper knowledge.
Atma scheme committee member and Agriculture department joint director Padmaiah Naik said many a time farmers grow one crop when there is demand for it. When the prices decrease, they start worrying. Instead, farmers should engage themselves in integrated farming.
Syndicate Bank regional office Deputy General Manager G S Shenoy presided. Deputy Director of department of animal husbandry Dr K V Halagappa and others were present. As many as 80 farmers took part in training.
