PANJIM: With a focus to make Goa self-sufficient in milk production by 2030, the State government proposes to create Dairy Clusters and Dairy Estate. Right from motivating youth to take up dairy farming, to encourage farmers to enhance the average milk production per animal from existing 2.5 litres per day to 4 litres per day, are the focus areas. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AHVS) has drafted a detailed “Vision Document” with short term, medium term and long term goals to achieve the target of making Goa self-sufficient in milk production as well as in fodder.
As part of its short-term goal to be achieved by March 2022, the department intends to enhance the daily availability of milk by 15 per cent that is from the present 1.65 lakhs to 1.9 lakhs by the implementation of existing schemes and improvement of management and nutrition through training by expert dairy consultants.
The AHVS aims to further enhance the daily availability of milk from 1.9 lakhs to 2.3 lakhs by August 2023, as part of its medium-term goal. For this purpose, the department
proposes to introduce embryo transfer technique and use of sex sorted semen along with attracting youth, at village level, towards dairy farming.
By August 2025, the AHVS is looking at increasing daily milk requirement by 30 per cent that is upto 3 lakhs. “Establishment of dairy estates, encouraging private dairies and introducing precision livestock farming in government farms, are the methodology that department is focusing upon,” a official said.
“Creation of dairy clusters for self sufficiency is yet another major focus the department has laid upon in its vision document,” official said.
In its Vision Document, the department has laid emphasis on extensive training in existing dairy pockets coupled with demonstrations and field visits to encourage the existing farmers to enhance the average milk production per animal from existing 2.5 litres per day to 4 litres per day, motivating youth to undertake dairy farming with high yielding milch animals, Ensuring availability of quality balanced feed to the dairy animals, etc.
“With an enhancement of 20-30 per cent in milk production every 2-3 years, the State will be self sufficient in milk production by 2030,” States the Vision Document.
Further, the department intends to achieve a total of 65 per cent increase in the local production of fodder and silage so that the State becomes self sufficient in fodder, thereby contributing in a long way to dairy farmers, self employment and increased cultivation of dry barren tracts of land into green fodder for a better tomorrow by the year 2030.
