August 3, 2011

India to experience milk shortage

In spite of being the biggest milk producer in the world, India will soon experience severe milk deficiency and will have to obtain it from overseas, warned Dr Narayan Mohanty, president, Veterinary Council of India.

A recent survey said the annual growth of milk production was 3.5 million tonnes, but the demand was over six million tonnes in the country. Productivity per animal is very poor in the country. It is about 987kg per lactation, whereas the world average is 2,038kg per lactation, said the expert.

The problem of milk shortage is due to ineffective breeding programme, limited and non-availability of quality feed, lack of veterinary services and timely treatment of cattle. Furthermore, there is no vision focusing on livestock and the meagre payscales of veterinarians will worsen the situation in a couple of years, he said.

There is a need to enhance the overall livestock wealth of the country and Tamil Nadu is now lagging behind in milk production, compared to other states, Dr R. Prabakaran, vice chancellor, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University added.

The state's average milk availability per person is marginally lower than the all-India average. The daily national average of milk availability per person is 263ml and, for Tamil Nadu, it is 237ml, he observed. However, Tamil Nadu leads in poultry and egg production.

About 160 eggs are available per person in a year in Tamil Nadu and the national average is 52 eggs per person in a year, the vice-chancellor added.

To meet the demands of the growing economy, surge in population and increase in health-consciousness, there is a need to increase milk production by at least 5-5.5%.

The country ranks first in cattle population (206 million, including 91 million buffaloes) and is seventh in poultry production, Mohanty said.