Milma striving to attain self-sufficiency in milk production

The Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) is working on a multi-pronged strategy to strengthen the cooperative dairy sector and attain self-sufficiency in milk production, Milma chairman K.S. Mani said on Saturday. Enhancing productivity and supporting dairy farmers, who are burdened by increase in input costs, form the core of this strategy. Bridging the gap…
Dairy farmers face unprecedented crisis in Kerala due to heat

Livestock farmers in the State are facing an unprecedented crisis as intense heat and humidity are having a deadly effect on farm animals. While dairy cow mortality has hit an all-time high with thermal stress killing around 500 cattle across the State in two-and-a-halfmonths, poultry producers are also in distress. Farmers say the cows, mostly crossbreeds, just…
Dairy farmers in Kerala welcome heat index-based insurance cover for animals

Dairy farmers have responded keenly to the heat index-based cattle insurance scheme rolled out by the Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (ERCMPU). The novel scheme, introduced for April and May considering the rising temperatures, saw around 25,000 animals getting the insurance cover. Taking the average number of animals per dairy unit, around 10,000 farmers…
Temperature increase will affect milk production in the Kerala State: expert

Increasing atmospheric temperatures is affecting production and productivity in dairying. Substantial reductions in milk production affect sustainability of the sector, which has more than 70 % women involvement. “On average, the temperature increase of one degree Celsius will reduce milk production by 5–10 %. It is estimated that milk production in the State has been…
Kerala Budget 2024-25| Animal husbandry earmarked ₹277.14 crore

The State Budget for 2024-25 has set aside ₹277.14 crore for the animal husbandry sector. Out of this ₹82.50 crore is for the public sector undertakings in the animal husbandry sector and ₹57 crore is for Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University. A total of ₹109.25 crore is set aside for dairy development. Of this,…
₹4.5-crore incentive for dairy farmers, milk cooperatives

The Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (ERCMPU) will disburse around ₹4.5 crore as incentive for milk production during the period between February 1 and March 31. The money translates into ₹7 extra per litre of milk, of which ₹5 will go to the dairy farmer and ₹2 to the primary milk cooperative. ERCMPU chairman…
Minister launches interactive programme for dairy farmers

Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development J. Chinchurani on Friday launched ‘Dairy Next’, an interactive programme that will provide authentic information on cow rearing to dairy farmers. Speaking at the event in Chanapara near Kadakkal, the Minister said the programme will be implemented in all the 140 Assembly constituencies of the State. “Through new…
Tamil Nadu colluding with Kerala to steal crores of Centre’s funds: A huge fraud

Under the guise of the central government’s Rashtiya Gokul Mission scheme for dairy farms, a big lobby is profiting by smuggling cows from Kerala to Tamil Nadu. In the scheme, Rs 4 crore will be allocated for rearing up to 200 cows, with Rs 2 crore as central subsidy and Rs 2 crore as bank…
Facing eviction, a dairy farmer kills self in Kannur

Kannur: Days after receiving an eviction notice from a bank, a dairy farmer died by suicide in Kannur on Monday. Kolakkad native M R Albert (73) was found hanging in his residence. Albert reportedly died by suicide when his wife went to church on Monday morning. Manorama News reported that he had borrowed over Rs…
Kerala to be self-sufficient in milk production in a year

Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development J. Chinchurani has said the State will attain self-sufficiency in milk production in a year. Speaking after inaugurating the 15th edition of the Kerala Veterinary Science Congress and a three-day international seminar at the College of Veterinary Sciences at Pookode here on Friday, Ms. Chinchurani said dairy farmers…