Developing the dairy industry - Letter

Much has been said and many sound proposals have been made in the overall development of the country in providing gainful employment to the rural masses. Today with the increase in prices of imported milk by an average of Rs.28 to Rs. 30 per kilo the average income earners will be forced to reduce the much needed intake of milk by growing children. This will in turn retard their growth. Repercussions of this could best be explained by a paediatrician.

Many specialists in the dairy industry have come with sound proposals accepted by governments in power and implemented. In some instances cattle have been imported and in one instance air freighted. Unfortunately we have not improved the industry mainly due to lack of interest by the rural farmers. This is perhaps due to laziness and complains to politicians regarding the high process and cost of living and demand a high wage/salary. The employer has to generate funds to meet their demands and this is not possible as most of the time the request for increases in wages are unreasonable and not related to output.

If we develop the dairy industry as all governments have attempted in the past and sustain this development, we would be self sufficient in milk like India. Vast sums of money in foreign exchange are spent on importing the dairy requirements of the nation. This expenditure could be gradually reduced by dairy development.

Proposals to achieve self sufficiency in milk:-

1. Appoint dairy development officers to each district to work under veterinary officers. They should be given targets and incentives to those who achieve good results.
2. Pay a price in keeping with market prices of imported milk. This is only fair as the local dairy farmer has expenses which are not known by many such as veterinary services, cattle feed besides grass. A good cow today is over Rs. 45,000 and investment of that nature should provide a respectable income. This income is achievable if a fair price is paid to the farmer.

3. Dairy farming can provide gainful employment to the rural farmer who could develop himself and the family by producing other products such as curd, yoghurt, ghee and cheese.

4. The most important by-product is the compost that could be produced to fertilize the home grown vegetables. Excess produce could be sold through the village boutique.

5. There are many more benefits to the entire population and the economy of the country. Tea plantations can encourage dairy farming and if dairy sheds are developed on top of hill features, wash down of such farms will enrich the soil providing natural fertilizer to the tea plantations.
I appeal to the government and the minister in charge of dairy development to give leadership to this vital industry.

Retired soldier and now dairy farmer