November 6, 2012

India to reform dairy sector, diversify agriculture

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal instructed the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to take special initiative to revitalise and give much-needed impetus to the allied farming sector especially the dairy industry.

The Chief Minister, who had met Sharad Pawar recently at New Delhi, apprised him that the State Government as a part of its ambitious crop diversification programme was seriously mulling to develop the dairy sector in a big way.

He pointed out that in its endeavour to diversify agriculture, the State Government was giving a renewed emphasis on development of dairy farming as an economically viable alternative to rice or wheat cropping system. Realising the need to bail out State's agrarian economy out of wheat or paddy cycle, Pawar firmed up his commitment to help the State to develop dairy, fishery and animal husbandry for which he would convene a joint meeting of the senior officers of the Centre and State Government at Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana on November 20.

Pawar also promised to look into the feasibility of setting up of fishery research institute in Punjab to explore potential of fishery in the waterlogged areas of southern Punjab.

Badal had sought the assistance of Union Agriculture Ministry to encourage the farmers to adopt diversification as it would go a long way in supplementing the income of the beleaguered peasantry of the State who were already on the crossroads due to negligible returns on their produce due to ever accelerating farm inputs.

He highlighted the deteriorating financial health of Milk federations in view of the imposition of ban on export of milk products viz Skimmed Milk Powder, Casein etc. and stressed that the Centre should help the federations who were saddled with huge stocks of milk products.

Badal further suggested that milk products should be included in the menu of mid-day meal scheme to increase their demand. Likewise, he urged that the milk products should be included in the food aid being provided by India to the neighbouring and other countries.

Reiterating that diversification to livestock sector was necessary to supplement the income of the farmers, the Chief Minister posed programme to be funded by the Centre for the promotion of dairy, piggery, goat industry and fisheries. Badal also urged the Union Ministry to treat livestock sector at par with the agriculture in terms of income tax, interest rates, issue of Kisan credit cards etc. He also demanded to provide subsidised insurance cover to livestock irrespective of the size of the herd.

The Chief Minister also urged Pawar to set up a dairy research centre in Punjab on the pattern of already established such institute in Karnal to further boost the prospects of dairy sector and also to examine the feasibility of setting up of big fish farms in the water-logged areas of the Malwa belt in the State.