22 Feb 2019 | 06:15am IST
Kamdhenu Scheme boosts White Revolution
Goa steadily moving towards milk self sufficiency; Milk collection has increased by 22% in three years
SHWETA KAMAT
PANJIM: Marching towards the goal of being self-sufficient through the White Revolution, Goa’s daily milk collection has seen a whopping 22 per cent growth in the last three years. Besides, the collection of milk per day has almost doubled over a span of eight years, after remaining stagnant for nearly a decade till 2011-12.
As per data available for the financial year 2016-17, the total milk production stood at 66,000 litres per day, which jumped to 72,000 litres per day in 2017-18 and till December 2018 (for the current 2018-19), the production stood at 81,655 litres per day.
Milk collection from the farmers by the dairies has also seen a consistent rise since 2011-12. The figures show that the average milk collection per day for 2011-12 was 40,000 litres, which went up to 44,000 litres per day in 2012-13 and further rose to 60,000 litre per day in 2013-14 and 62,000 in 2014-15.
Goa’s total milk production at present is around 1.50 lakh litres per day, whereas the total requirement is of 3.50 lakh litre per day. To fulfill its total milk requirement, Goa is currently dependent on Maharashtra and Karnataka.
“Milk production and collection, which was stagnant for nearly 10-15 years at 35,000 litres per day, has almost doubled, with an annual rise. Kamdhenu scheme has given a major boost,” a senior official attached to the Department of Animal Husbandry said.
The State’s modified Kamdhenu Scheme, in which the government provided financial help to farmers purchasing cross-bred cows, was a major reason for the upswing. Introduced in 2012, some 3,600 farmers have availed of the scheme, under which subsidy amounts of over Rs 54 crore have been spent. For the current financial year, till December 2018, farmers have purchased 1,533 animals at 38 cattle melas.
The government in the Economic Survey 2018-19 says that in order to further boost milk production and collection, the department proposes to purchase 400 milk producing heifers and 400 adult animals in three batches, which would be reared adapting them to the local environment.
