Dairy farmers in the district have demanded that the Union government get the sector included in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Shrinking pastures, hike in feed prices, and numerous cattle diseases are the factors that have compelled them to seek a positive intervention by the Centre.
According to farmers, revenues have declined owing to the escalating cost of milk production. A steep rise in milk prices will give some relief, but it will never be a lasting solution when options like MGNREGS are available, they say.
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K. Rasheed and C. Ammad, dairy farmers from Meppayur and Naduvannur panchayats respectively, say they had recently faced huge loss in rabid dog attacks. “This was one of the unexpected challenges, and there were no quick compensation packages. Support from the Animal Husbandry Department alone will help us survive in the sector,” they point out. Thiruvambadi MLA George M. Thomas, during a recent district-level dairy farmers’ meet at Eengappuzha had stressed the need for including the dairy sector in MGNREGS. According to him, it is high time the State government approached the Centre with a more persuasive plan to address dairy farmers’ concerns. “A farmer will be able to get a guaranteed sum of Rs.200 a day if the scheme is included in MGNREGS,” he points out.
Meanwhile, officials of the Department of Dairy Development said a proposal earlier submitted to the Centre on the demand had failed to win its approval. However, steps are under way to take it up again with the Centre, they added.