The National Dairy Development Board is planning to boost milk production in order to cater to rising consumer demand for dairy products Observing rising demand for milk and dairy products, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has undertaken the initiative of improving milk production in the country. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, through high-level consultations with 14major milk producing states realised the need to introduce scientifically-planned programmes that would bolster milk production.
.jpg) According to a proposal put forward by the National Dairy Plan (NDP), scientific techniques would be applied to breeding and feeding of cattle to improve production and quality of dairy products processed in India. In this context, Samir Vora, CEO of Charotar Casein Company, a mid-sized milk supplier in Nadiad, Gujarat, says, “Cattle should be kept in hygienic conditions and regular vaccine doses should be given to them to keep them healthy, which will go a long way in boosting milk production in the country.”Measures to be undertaken
Owing to several factors, this year the amount of milk produced has not been able to match consumer demand. One of the factors contributing to low milk production being low fodder production, which led to hike in fodder prices, thereby consequently heating up prices of dairy products.
In India, major tracts of land are utilised for cultivation of food crops. As a result, fodder production has been deteriorating. Therefore, non-agricultural land should be made available for fodder production, which would in turn lower the cost of maintaining cattle to a large extent. Resultantly, dairy products would be easily available at reasonable rates.
A S Karthikeyan, CEO of A Arunachalam and Company, a small-sized diary products supplier in Kangayam, Tamil Nadu, says, “Besides improving fodder production, the government should undertake measures to facilitate infrastructure development for the purposes of milk chilling, processing and transportation.” On the back of proper storage facilities, the quality standard of milk can be maintained, thereby helping dairy owners to record profit margins by catering to consumer demand.
Sabrina Mitchell |
