Prime Minister inaugurated the International Dairy Federation’s World Dairy Summit 2022 at Greater Noida, India on 12 September 2022. He said that the potential of the dairy sector not only gives impetus to the rural economy but is also a major source of livelihood for millions of people across the world. He also underlined the centrality of ‘Pashu Dhan’ and milk-related business in the cultural landscape of India. Production by masses and not mass production, has been the distinction of India’s dairy sector. The Indian dairy industry is unique as it is based on a cooperative model that empowers small and marginal dairy farmers, especially women. These cooperatives collect milk twice daily from about 2 crore farmers in more than two lakh villages and deliver it to the consumers. The digital revolution witnessed in the country has also reached the dairy sector. India is also building Pashu Aadhar – the largest database of dairy animals. More than 1,000 startups set up in the agriculture and dairy sector in the last 5-6 years. PM also showcased the Indian dairy sector’s other uniqueness such as indigenous breeds that are “climate comfortable and also equally adjusting”. India supports 17 per cent of the world cattle population yet contributed barely three per cent to greenhouse gas emissions. The summit also saw women-centric milk producer companies launching their products in the presence of global majors. India is in a position to export surplus milk, in line with the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat” theme. Around 1,500 participants from 50 countries participated in this summit.
To increase the population of milch animals and their productivity, an indigenous and affordable sex-sorted semen technology – at ₹250 per dose of sexed semen – will soon be rolled out to dairy farmers in India. NDDB Dairy Services has successfully conducted field trials of sex-sorted semen usage in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. This technology separates male sperm from the spermatozoa of cattle and ensures only the female calf is delivered as a means to enhance milk output. The success ratio of an animal delivering only a female calf is 87-90 %. The technology is indigenously developed in collaboration with Jiva Sciences Private Limited, Bengaluru; Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai; and National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru. Currently, the sex sorting technology for bovine semen is sourced through international players. The cost per dose of sexed semen for artificial insemination is ₹1,500-2,000; when an animal requires multiple doses, the cost shoots up to ₹4,000, making it unviable for the average farmer.
Lumpy skin disease has created havoc all over India. The Centre along with states is making efforts to control it by vaccinating healthy animals. Many states like Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujrat, MP, Maharashtra, AP, UP, and Haryana are worst affected. IVRI and NRC on Equines have also prepared indigenous vaccines. Around 57,000 deaths have been reported till now. LSD is a contagious viral disease that affects cattle and causes fever, and nodules on the skin and can also lead to death. The disease gets spread by mosquitoes, flies, lice, and wasps by direct contact among the cattle, and through contaminated food and water. All states are giving vaccines free of cost. The milk production has already taken a hit to the tune of a 3-5 per cent dip in daily milk collection in different pockets. The disease is of high economic importance as it causes a reduction in milk yield up to 65% during the acute phase and 35% after recovery.
NDDB will manage the operations of the Ladakh Milk Federation for five years in order to implement a structured dairy development programme in the Ladakh region. During this period, NDDB will provide its services without any management fees and depute its professional manpower at key managerial positions for managing the operations of the federation and its constituent units. NDDB’s expertise would help in establishing a robust milk procurement and processing system in Ladakh and would also help in undertaking scientific productivity enhancement activities with a focus on animal breeding, nutrition and health. This MoU will encourage entrepreneurs to set up dairy farms leading to the development of the dairy sector in the region, which will also provide an avenue for employment for the rural youth and more milk production in the UT. As per the 20th Livestock census, the region has a total cattle population in excess of 35,000, including about 22,000 indigenous breeds and about 13,000 exotic breeds. The native Ladakhi cattle are small-sized and short-statured black or brown coloured animals, well adapted to extreme cold climatic and hypoxic conditions. These cattle are reared under an extensive system for milk and manure purposes. The milk from the native cattle is considered a natural source of A2 milk.
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