Govt sets up panel to suggest measures for rise in milk output
Maharashtra government has set up a committee headed by the Dairy Development Commissioner to suggest measures to further increase the milk production, provide fair price to milk producer and protect the interest of the milk producers from the cooperative and private sector. Further, the committee's task will suggest a road map for the sustainable development of milk and the milk processing sector in the state.
The committee comprises nine members from the cooperative and private sector, the managing director of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Milk Federation, the joint commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, the executive director of the National Cooperative Development Federation of India and the regional director of the National Dairy Development Board.
The state dairy development department joint secretary MA Gutte issued the notification on February 4. The committee is expected to advise the government periodically on the state of the milk sector and hold meetings every two months to review and provide updates to the government.
Dairy Development Department officer told FPJ, ''Maharashtra has a daily milk and milk processing capacity of 2 crore litres, of which 70 lakh litres is processed for cheese. The current situation of the dairy industry is not due to excessive rainfall in the state, but is a result of the varied climatic conditions in the last two years. This year's prolonged monsoon has washed out agricultural crops, so there is a shortage of green fodder. There is a turmoil in the dairy industry for all these different geographical / climatic reasons. Restricted availability of green, nutritious feed and fodder has had an adverse effect not only on the availability of milk and its quality, but also on pregnancy and carving. If cows don’t get pregnant, farmers lose out on an entire season.''
The officer recalled that two years ago the dairy farming was in full swing, but the priced dipped due to surplus production. However, due to drought, animal health deteriorated for want of nutritional fodder. ''Over all, the lactation cycle was missed and the per cow yield was reduced by 12-15 per cent,'' he said.
Director of a leading private dairy hoped that the committee will study the global practices and suggest steps for awareness and education, which will encourage farmers to keep more animals and increase the per cow yield.