Dairy News
Steps afoot to revive flood-hit dairy sector
Friday, 28/09/2018
http://thedairytimes.com/steps-afoot-revive-flood-hit-dairy-sector/
Kochi, September 29, 2018: In the backdrop of loss of over 1,000 cattle heads in floods, the district dairy development department is gearing up to help the cattle farmers tide over the crisis. They will help the farmers procure new cattle and to improve the cover of fodder crops in the district.
The department has estimated a loss of around Rs 23 crore in the dairy sector in the district. Around 150 hectare of fodder crops were destroyed during the flood. Experts suggest that the loss of fodder crops will badly hit the dairy industry as the milk production will be decreased further. There has been a reduction of about 50% milk production in the district after the flood.
Fodder cultivation has been severely hit in places like Parakkadavu, Paravur, Aluva and Angamaly. The cultivation in low- lying areas like Muvattupuzha, Piravom and Perumbavoor were also destroyed during the flood according to timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
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The department has also given a proposal to the government to start a project, which can help the flood-hit farmers purchase new cattle at a subsidised rate. “Through this, a farmer can buy up to two cows that will have insurance cover,” said Jose Jacob, deputy director of district dairy development department. He also added that a comprehensive insurance package for the farmers and the cattle reared is on consideration.
The district panchayat has also begun programmes to assist the flood-hit farmers. “Each cooperative society can avail Rs 2 lakh through a revolving fund scheme, which then should be distributed to four farmers under the society,” said an official. About 219 cooperative societies in the district are availing this scheme.
Officials in the dairy development department said that the state was aiming to attain self-sufficiency in milk production by this December. “We had already attained 80% but now attaining self-sufficiency is not possible as we have lost most of the resources in the flood,” said an official.
The department had already completed the distribution of about 66 tonnes fodder received from National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and Andhra Pradesh government to flood-hit farmers in the district.