Thanks to the continuous drought for the second consecutive year, there is glut in the milk production in Karimnagar district following the farmers taking up dairy units as the alternate employment sources.
Following the drought, the Karimnagar dairy and the bankers have extended financial assistance to the farmers for the purchase of milching animals.
Besides, the farmers on their own have also procured milch animals to take up dairy units as alternate employment. As there are no agricultural activities in the district, the farmers have focussed on the dairy units and cultivated green fodder with available water sources and thus helped in increasing milk production in the district.
The milk procurement had reached 1.94 lakhs per day at the Karimnagar milk producer company albeit Karimnagar Dairy. But, the sales were only 1.1 lakh per day. The remaining milk was being converted into the milk powder.
Prices slashed
In order to avoid losses to the Karimnagar dairy due to glut in milk production, the authorities have slightly reduced the milk procurement prices.
The prices have been reduced to Rs. 540 per kg fat of buffalo milk from the existing Rs. 560 per kg fat.
Similarly, for the cow milk procurement was reduced to Rs. 205 for total solids in milk from the existing Rs.220.
An average of Re 1 per litre for buffalo milk and Rs 1.70 paise per litre for cow milk was reduced by the Karimnagar Dairy.
Stating that other dairies in the Telangana State such as the milk federation, Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy, Mother Dairys have also reduced milk procurement prices, Karimnagar Dairy chairman Ch Rajeshwara Rao said “We have reduced procurement price to avoid losses to the dairy. We would again increase procurement prices once the milk sales increase”.
‘Need for campaign’
Joint Director (Animal Husbandry) S. Ramchander told “The Hindu” that the milk production would further increase in the district as the farmers have shifted to dairy units. Though, there is abundant availability of milk, there is low consumption of milk and hence glut, he said and stressed on the need to increase sales to benefit the farmers as well as consumers. In Punjab and Haryana States, the per capita consumption of milk is one litre. But, in Karimnagar district, it is not even crossing 262 grams per capita, he stated.
The Joint Director said that the dairies should launch a campaign to increase the sales of milk.
