Dairy Scenario In Patiala District Of Punjab

DAIRY SCENARIO IN PATIALA DISTRICT OF PUNJAB Dalip.K. Gosain*,

Ram Chand**,

Ashwani Sharma***, Omvir Singh****

*Scientist (S.S.), KVK/TTC, **Head Dairy Extension, ***Sr. Scientist, DCB,****Vet. Surgeon, Dairy Extension. Animal Husbandry Department and MILKFED Punjab have created various infrastructural facilities at the grass root levels. The veterinary and dairy extension services provided by these organisations resulted in increased milk production in the state. Large network of village Milk Producer’s Cooperative Societies and the Milk Producers have witnessed a remarkable change in the last two decades in terms of enhanced milk production. Two milk plants one of Milkfed and another of Milkfood handle a large quantity of milk in making different dairy products in Patiala district. The increased milk production over the years dropped suddenly to the tune of 30-35 per cent in the month of June-August 2003 as compared to these months in the year 2002. This unwarranted situation called for the attention of policy makers and the dairy professionals to look in to the reasons for the low milk production in the state, which supply fluid milk and milk products to the adjoining states of the country. Keeping this in view a team of experts from NDRI conducted a survey by visiting various villages of District Patiala. Farmers’ perception and the expert opinion of the officials working in the MILKFED and MILK FOOD milk plants located in this district towards the current dairy scenario were ascertained. The possible factors, which lead to the current drop in milk production and procurement, were identified. Based on the livestock census 1997 conducted by the animal husbandry department Punjab, it was observed that district Sangrur and Ludhiana had the highest population of buffaloes and cattle respectively. As per the targets and achievements of animal husbandry department of Punjab Table 2, it is evident that the milk production has constantly increased from the year 1995-96 till 2001-02 and the same is true for per capita availability of milk in grams in the state. The increased milk production over the years dropped suddenly to the tune of 30-35 per cent in the month of June-August 2003 as reported by various sources. There is a network of 1362 veterinary hospitals and 1443 veterinary dispensaries (total 2805 Institutions) in the state providing various facilties and services to the dairy farmers. As reported by the animal husbandry department the number of artificial insemination performed with frozen and chilled semen during the year 2000-01 are presented in table 3. For the production and regular supply of pedigreed bulls of exotic cross bred breeds and buffalo bulls, two cattle breeding farms and one buffalo breeding farm have been set up in the State. At Patiala farm, bulls of exotic breeds namely H.F. and Jersey are produced. It is observed from the table2 that the total numbers of artificial inseminations carried out were decreased to 13.78 lakhs in the year 2000-01, which was almost similar as 13.77 lakhs in the year 1995-1996. Kahlon (2003) observed that “The genetic potential and performance of our cows is equally unsatisfactory as that of buffaloes. In spite of the fact that we

started crossbreeding long back, the outlook of the Directorate of Animal Husbandry has not gone much beyond health cover for animals. That is why several schemes like the “key village” programmes or the intensive cattle development projects did not lead to great success”. Based on the survey conducted in various villages of district Patiala, it was found that the milk production has decreased during summer season 2003 as compared to last year and the probable reasons are listed below: 1. Higher costs of feeds and fodders and low milk price have compelled the farmers of this district to reduce their herd size in the recent past. It was observed that this trend is prevalent since last 3 years and remained un-noticed by the dairy development depatmetnts. A large number of small and marginal farmers have sold their animals so to reduce their herd size. It was also observed that the commercial dairy farmers having 15-38 dairy animals mainly buffaloes are continuing with dairy farming. They too emphasised that its not a profitable. 2. Majority of the dairy farmers opined that less rainfall in the year 2002 created scarcity of green fodders and even the price of wheat straw touched Rs. 400.00 per quintal which compelled them to reduce the herd size as they could not afford the fodders and feeds to the large herd they possessed earlier. 3. Majority of the dairy farmers now view dairying as time consuming and nonprofitable enterprise in the mixed farming system as the price of milk is so low that the they can afford to feed the required ration to the milch animals which has lead to low milk production. 4. Some of the large dairy farmers opined that the message through various channels regarding the import of milk powder and milk products in coming years have discouraged them, with the result they are also in a planning process to reduce their herd size too. The Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited popularly known as MILKFED Punjab, with its network of over 6500 village Milk Producer’s Cooperative Societies and over 3 lakh Milk Producers not only provides assured market to Milk Producers but also carries inputs to Milk Production en-hancement at their doorsteps. Based on the discussions and records available with the officials of MILKFED milk plant located near village Hassanpur and MILKFOOD dairy plant located at Bhadurgarh road in Patiala district, it was observed that in the month of JulyAugust 2003 the plants operated far below the actual handling capacity per day. It was found that the milk production and procurement in the area of 60 km. (about 1240 villages) around these milk plants, decreased up to 35 percent during summer season 2003 as compared to the year 2002. The various identified reasons for decrease in the milk production in summer season 2003 are listed below: 1. In the year 2002 because of the draught in villages of district Patiala only 25 percent dairy animals could conceive in the month of April-June and the remaining breedable 75 percent conceived in the month of September-October. The delayed calving has caused shortage of milk production. 2. Govt. of Punjab is very strict in monitoring and evaluating the milk samples drawn from various sources. With the fear of not having adulterated milk, the quantity of synthetic and adulterated milk has probably decreased and has led to low milk procurement.

Conclusions: Dairy farmers of the Patiala district do not perceive dairying profitable, as the prices for various required inputs are high and the price of milk sold on the basis of fat percentage is non-remunerative. Keeping this in view for having viable and sustainable dairy farming amongst different categories of farmers cost of the concentrates, feeds and straw should be reduced. Price of milk should be increased so that the farmers are not compelled to reduce their herd size which will not only lead to low milk production in the State but may create some other social problems including unemployment. There is an urgent need to educate the farmers that they should not sell their animals by doing so the superior germ plasm will be retained in the state for producing good off-springs in future for enhancing milk production. There are numerous examples that keeping cross-bred cattle with economical rations is profitable. We have reached a stage that the discouraged dairy farmers need be encouraged for having elite herd with economical feeding and more milk production. Health cover for animals remained our prime area, for increasing the milk production the field functionaries have to reorient their strategies and functioning so to plan the dairy farms of different categories of dairy farmers in rural areas in a systems’ perspective. Refrences: CGIAR, (2002), Dairy production System in Asia.In: http://www.cgiar.org/ilri/db Chand,R., and Gosain, D.K. (2002), Trigger Points for Improving Dairy Productivity, Indian Dairyman,54(5):23-24. Chand,R., Gosain, D.K., Sidhu, D.S.,Aggarwal, S.B. (2001), Adoption Of Dairy Husbandry Practices Amongst Dairy Farmers Of Adopted Villages Of Karnal District ,Indian J. Animal.Prod.Mgnt.Vol. 17(1&2), 35-37. Chand,R., Mahajan,B.M. Sidhu, D.S. and Gosain, D.K. (2003). Differential Impact of Extension Services. Devika Publications, Delhi. 137 pp. Dairy profile in India, (1999). In: http:// www.vetheplineindia.com/vet/factfile.htm Devendra,C.(1999),Dairying In Integrated Farming Systems. In: Falvey, L. and Chantalakhana,C.(eds.), Smallholder Dairying in the Tropics, ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya. Gosain,D.K., Chand,R, Jha, S.K. and Singh,S.R.K.(2000). Farm Communication through Mass Media in Karnal District – A Retrospect. J. Dairying, Food and Home Science, 19(3&4): 201-205. http://www.husbandrypunjab.org/pages/cattle_dev1.htm#top http://www.milkfed.nic.in/mfed.htm http://www.patiala.org/indmain.htm http://www.punjabonline.com/servlet/directories.searchEngine http://www.tifac.org.in/itsap/proj.htm Kahlon,G.B.S. (2003) Base Milk Policy On Cow, The Tribune, 11.sept. Kahlon,G.S.(2001), Dairying And Farm Diversification, Punjab Institute for Sustainable Development, 1125/1, Gurdev Nagar, Ludhiana. Livestock census(1997) Department Of Animal Husbandry, Punjab Patil B.R. and Udo H.M.J.(1997). The Impact of Crossbred Cows in Mixed Farming Systems in Gujarat, India: Milk Production and Feeding Practices. AsianAustralasian Journal of Animal Sciences 10:253-259. Published 2005