India emerging as leader in milk production; Radha

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said that India is emerging as a leader among the milk-producing nations and produced 163.7 million tonne milk worth of Rs four lakh crore in the year 2016-17. Comfed/Sudha are playing important roles in collection, processing, and marketing of milk in Bihar.

Agriculture Minister said that in 2015-16 total milk production in Bihar was 8.29 million mSetric tonne, which was 5.33% of the whole country. Bihar has 6.67% of the country’s total cattle population. Therefore, there is a need to increase milk production and productivity in the state. Dairy farming has been a traditional source of livelihood and it has a deep connection with the agricultural economy. Currently India has 19 crore cattle, which is 14 percent of the cattle population of the world.  Out of them,15.1 crores i.e. 80 percent are Indigenous cattle. The country’s dairy cooperatives pass 75 to 80 percent of its sales to the farmers. In Bihar, Comfed/Sudha are providing an appropriate value of the milk to the farmers through cooperative agencies. In comparison to 15 million men, 75 million women are engaged in this field.

India has 30 crore bovines, which is 18% of the total bovine population of the world. The country’s indigenous bovine is the result of traditional and scientific knowledge and hardwork of hundred years. Today, we have 40 breeds of cattle along with Yak and Mithun and 13 breeds of buffaloes.

Bachaur is the indigenous cattle breed of Bihar. There is 6.73 lakh Bachaur cattle breed in the region, out of which 2.99 lakh are reproductive animals. For the first time, the government has initiated Rashtriya Gokul Mission with an objective to conserve and propagate indigenous breeds in an organized and scientific manner. Till now Rs 499.08 crore released out of Rs.1,077 crore sanctioned for the proposals received from 27 states under the scheme.

Bihar has been allocated Rs.67 crore under Rashtriya Gokul Mission and state has released  Rs.22.5 crore so far. It will help in increasing milk production and milk productivity in the region.  Under this programme, 1250 MAITRI centres are being set up to facilitate artificial insemination for cattle on the doorstep. This will also give a new direction to the conservation of the indigenous breeds.

Along with other components, setting up of Gokul Gram is also included under Rashtriya Gokul Mission. One Gokul Gram will have 500 animals with high genetic quality, out of which 300 will be reproductive animals. The Gokul Grams will rear Lal Sindhi, Sahiwal and Gir breeds along with Bachaur.