The summer months are always difficult for dairy farmers, but this drought year has been a particularly bad one, with green fodder becoming a rarity. The cost of production has shot up and farmers in the State’s milk-producing districts are distraught.
Milk producers, unable to get fodder in their vicinity, are sourcing it from distant places at high costs. Despite a government incentive of ₹5 a litre, the establishment of fodder banks and the recent hike in milk prices (which would be transferred on to them), milk producers in Kolar, Mandya and Shivamogga, which are among the high milk-producing districts, are complaining about the increase in input cost.
Dairy farmers in Mandya, where fodder is traditionally available because of irrigation, are now looking at Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and other districts to source it. “Paddy cultivation suffered owing to drought, and this has resulted in shortage of dry grass,” said Satisha, a farmer from Budhanuru.
Savithramma, a milk producer from Bellur in Nagamangala taluk, Mandya, said each cattle requires at least 15 kg of green fodder daily. She is now purchasing fodder at ₹10 a kg — double the normal rate of ₹5. Milk producers are keen on green fodder as it ensures high yield.
Switch to tomatoes
In Kolar, availability of green fodder has been adversely affected as farmers have turned to tomato cultivation, despite the district administration’s attempt to convince them to grow jowar, which yields good green fodder. Initially, the green fodder grown by farmers was being purchased through primary milk producers’ cooperative societies for supply to those in need. However, with the onset of the tomato season, farmers have moved away from jowar for higher returns.
In Shivamogga, the cost has risen steeply as a tonne of fodder, which cost about ₹5,800 in March/April 2016, is now being sold at ₹11,000 to milk producers coming under Shivamogga Milk Union Ltd. (SHIMUL), which covers Shivamogga, Davangere and Chitradurga districts. “In the wake of drought for two consecutive years, the cost incurred by farmers for milk production has increased,” said SHIMUL chairman Jagadeeshappa Banakar.
The situation is similar for milk producers in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, where the cost of fodder has increased from ₹11 / ₹12 to ₹15 / ₹16 a kg. “As fodder is not available in adequate quantity, we are procuring compressed fodder from the fodder densification unit in Hassan. However, farmers are growing green fodder as the union provides subsidy,” said Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Union president Raviraj Hegde.
Sources in the Karnataka Milk Federation acknowledged the shortage but said the federation was confident of sailing through the dry season as several places in the high milk-producing centres have received rainfall.
Meanwhile, sources in the Animal Husbandry Department confirmed that there was shortage of fodder, but efforts were being made for procurement. “Though we have established fodder banks, they can only meet part of the fodder need. Fodder is also being given at a highly subsidised cost of ₹2 a kg,” an official said.
