THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:With the dairy sector taking a major hit in the mid-August floods, the government’s ambitious plan to achieve self-sufficiency in milk production by year-end is likely to receive a setback. Going by preliminary estimates, the internal milk production will be reduced by 25 to 30 per cent, Animal Husbandry director N N Sasi said.
‘’This is not based on a comprehensive evaluation as data is still coming in, but on a preliminary assessment based on figures made available from milk societies,’’ Sasi said. The department’s assessment is that the floods have claimed 18,000 cattle, including cows and calves. Additionally, large swathes of green fodder in the low-lands of the state have been destroyed. In both cases, replenishment of stock will take, at the most optimistic estimates, three to four months.
Every day, Kerala laps up about 87 lakh litres of milk. Production had increased to a stage where the state was meeting 80 per cent of the demand-supply internally. In June, the Animal Husbandry Department had also informed the State Assembly that internal milk procurement had gone up by 11.81 per cent in 2017-18 over 2016-17.
The Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) has already reported a post-flood reduction of over two lakh litres in daily procurement. Milma’s procurement from farmers within the state has dipped from 12.8 lakh litres a day to 9.79 to 9.74 lakh litres a day. ‘’In Alappuzha there was some disruption in procurement initially as Kuttanad was flooded. Later, Wayanad and Idukki - two districts critical to the dairy sector - were also affected badly. Our dairy plan in Kattapana was totally cut off to milk societies and farmers,’’ K G Satheesh, senior manager (marketing), Milma, said.
As most districts were affected, Milma had also reduced the additional milk intake from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu during the Onam festival days. Milma had earlier booked a quantum of 85 lakh litres from dairies in the two states, but then cut it to 30-35 lakh litres owing to reduced demand. On the other hand, in places like Alappuzha, Milma is also having to cater to the market of private milk producers who have been affected by the floods.
With the dairy sector in post-flood depression, the Animal Husbandry Department and the Milma have announced frantic relief measures.The government has procured Rs 3 crore- worth of fodder and medicine from Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. ‘’The immediate priority is keeping the available animals in good health, ensuring fodder and insurance money to the farmers,’’ Sasi said. On its part, Milma has announced relief schemes worth Rs 6.8 crore.