Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: The outbreak of the lumpy skin disease in cattle has resulted in a fall in milk production in Punjab by 15-20%. Around 500 cattle have died due to the disease in the state in a month and about 27,000, mostly cows, have been infected. Jalandhar, Moga, Muktsar, Barnala, Bathinda and Faridkot districts have reported the most number of cases.
The state produces 6.7 per cent of the country’s milk production and has a per capita availability of 1,181 grams of milk per day, the highest in the country. The cost of production has now shot up, resulting in dairy farmers facing a double blow. A senior official of the government-owned Milkfed said the milk production has fallen, but the procurement was the same. “It may be affected in the coming days,” he said.
Punjab Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said over 50,000 cattle have been administered the vaccine against the disease free of cost in the state. Over 2.33 lakh doses of the vaccine have reached the state in two phases.
President of Progressive Dairy Farmers Association Daljit Singh says the average daily milk production in the state is down by 15-20 per cent. “The death rate of animals is more than 4 per cent. Milk production will remain low in the next two-three years, as most of the animals affected by the disease will not reproduce,” he said.
For instance, an animal that gives 25-litre milk is now giving only 5 litres. It will take time before the animal returns to its normal capacity,’’ said Daljit Singh. “The prices of milk have not increased for four years. During the Covid peak, the prices were slashed. In a year, the rates of feed and fodder have increased by 60 per cent, raising the production cost. Farmers who have taken loans from banks have not been able to clear their dues. Many dairy farmers are now leaving the trade,’’ he said.
There are around 7,000 commercial dairy farms run by progressive dairy farmers across the state with each farm having animals ranging between 20 and 500. Besides, there are thousands of farmers who have at least five milch animals, said Singh.
Commercial dairy farming contributes 25 per cent to the total milk produced in the state. Around 1 crore litres of milk is sold daily in the state. Of this, at least 60 lakh litres is sold in the organised sector, comprising dairy cooperatives such as government-owned Milkfed (Verka) and other private dairy companies. The rest goes to the unorganised sectors such as milk vendors and sweets shops.
CHANDIGARH: The outbreak of the lumpy skin disease in cattle has resulted in a fall in milk production in Punjab by 15-20%. Around 500 cattle have died due to the disease in the state in a month and about 27,000, mostly cows, have been infected. Jalandhar, Moga, Muktsar, Barnala, Bathinda and Faridkot districts have reported the most number of cases.
The state produces 6.7 per cent of the country’s milk production and has a per capita availability of 1,181 grams of milk per day, the highest in the country. The cost of production has now shot up, resulting in dairy farmers facing a double blow. A senior official of the government-owned Milkfed said the milk production has fallen, but the procurement was the same. “It may be affected in the coming days,” he said.
Punjab Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said over 50,000 cattle have been administered the vaccine against the disease free of cost in the state. Over 2.33 lakh doses of the vaccine have reached the state in two phases.
President of Progressive Dairy Farmers Association Daljit Singh says the average daily milk production in the state is down by 15-20 per cent. “The death rate of animals is more than 4 per cent. Milk production will remain low in the next two-three years, as most of the animals affected by the disease will not reproduce,” he said.
For instance, an animal that gives 25-litre milk is now giving only 5 litres. It will take time before the animal returns to its normal capacity,’’ said Daljit Singh. “The prices of milk have not increased for four years. During the Covid peak, the prices were slashed. In a year, the rates of feed and fodder have increased by 60 per cent, raising the production cost. Farmers who have taken loans from banks have not been able to clear their dues. Many dairy farmers are now leaving the trade,’’ he said.
There are around 7,000 commercial dairy farms run by progressive dairy farmers across the state with each farm having animals ranging between 20 and 500. Besides, there are thousands of farmers who have at least five milch animals, said Singh.
Commercial dairy farming contributes 25 per cent to the total milk produced in the state. Around 1 crore litres of milk is sold daily in the state. Of this, at least 60 lakh litres is sold in the organised sector, comprising dairy cooperatives such as government-owned Milkfed (Verka) and other private dairy companies. The rest goes to the unorganised sectors such as milk vendors and sweets shops.
