Kerala sets three-year target of one crore litres of milk a day

Kerala has set a target of producing one crore litres of milk every day within three years, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Bindhu Krishna has said. She asked the Dairy Development department to work towards self-sufficiency in milk production and to overcome the challenges standing in the way.

Speaking at the valedictory session of the department's regional seminars, held as part of its annual programme, the Minister said officials should try to reach the target even before the three-year window ends. She pointed to continuing efforts to keep cattle feed prices in check and called for greater promotion of fodder cultivation. Measures are also under way to draw young people into dairying, she added, and successful models and technological advances in the sector would be put to use to meet the goals.

The seminar series wound up with a two-day southern regional seminar in Kollam. It covered the districts of Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, and reviewed project progress, departmental activities, district-level achievements and future plans.

Fifty-eight block-level officers and five quality control officers presented reports. Discussions at the seminar focused on the welfare of dairy farmers, the development of the dairy sector, steps to raise productivity and quality control.

The proceedings were led by Dairy Development department director Shalini Gopinath, Dairy Farmers Welfare Fund chief executive officer Jija Krishnan, Dairy Development department joint director Sinila Krishnan and deputy directors from the districts.

The regional series had begun earlier, with the northern regional seminar held in Kasaragod district on July 23 and 24, followed by the central regional seminar in Ernakulam district on July 30 and 31.