Source:risingkashmir.com
Kashmir total milk production in the last financial year of 2014-15 reached 1306.23 metric tons against the target of 1362.00 metric tons which according to Animal Husbandry department is still surplus.
“We produce milk in surplus of Indian Council of Medical Research recommendations of 230ml to 250ml per capita,” said Technical Officer General at Animal Husbandry department, Dr Anjum Andrabi.
He, however, said there is no facility in Valley or with farmers to convert surplus milk into other products like yoghurt, ice-creams and flavored milk.
“Farmers have to sell off all the yield which lowers the milk prices,” he said, adding, “Unlike J&K, in other states, surplus milk is converted into other milk products.”
The officials at the department said Pulwama, Ganderbal, Budgam, Baramulla and Bandipora are the highest milk producing districts.
Dr. Anjum Andrabi said, “Animal husbandry department is not a revenue generating but a welfare department. Our mandate is to provide veterinary healthcare to livestock owners and promote cattle and poultry development.”
Medicines like antibiotics, antipyretics and injectable tonics and vaccines respectively (HS, BQ, FMD, R2B, Lasota etc) are provided to farmers at 50 percent and 75 percent subsidy respectively.
Artificial insemination was done under Cattle Development. Instead of having four cows, a farmer could have 15 liters to 20 liters yielding two cows.
“It although decreased cattle population but milk production has increased,” said Andrabi.
According to the 19th livestock census of 2012, there are one lakh milk yielding cattle in the Valley.
“Local nondescript cows are inseminated with semen got from Western breeds like Jersey and Holstein-Friesian, which can adjust to the climatic conditions of the Valley unlike Red Sindhi and Sahiwal got from the Indian Plains.”
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