Milk situation stable due to adequate stocks: MoS Baghel

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The milk situation in the country has remained stable owing to adequate commodity stocks with stakeholders, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, responding to a question whether there is a need to import milk due to an acute shortage in domestic production.

Minister of State of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying S.P. Singh Baghel said in reply to a question from T.R. Baalu that the estimated milk production during 2023-24 stood at 239.30 million tonnes with per capita availability of 471 gram per day.

He said the government, in consultation with State/Union Territory milk federations and other stakeholders, regularly monitors the milk situation in the country.

Baghel said India is a member country of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and follows all the regulations of the WTO for international trade, including the agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures.

The milk products complying with India’s SPS measures and applicable import tariffs are imported in the country in a limited quantity, the MoS said.

Sharing steps taken to increase domestic production of milk and protect the dairying industry in the country, the MoS said the government has launched a Rashtriya Gokul Mission which aims at the conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds through scientific breeding and genetic improvement to enhance productivity and increase milk production.

He said the National Programme for Dairy Development aims to enhance the quality of milk and milk products and increase share of organised milk procurement.

Supporting Dairy Cooperatives & Farmer Producer Organisations engaged in dairy activities (SDCFPO) aims to strengthen dairy cooperatives and farmer producer organisations by providing them with working capital loans and facilitating market access, ensuring timely and remunerative payments to dairy farmers, he said.

Baghel said the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund incentivises private investments in dairy processing, meat processing, animal feed plants, breed improvement, vaccine production, and animal waste management.

Earlier, Baalu had asked the government if due to acute shortage in domestic production of milk and milk products there is need to import milk and its products in the near future.

Baalu had also asked whether it is true that according to a recent study by the SBI, imports of dairy products including milk will adversely affect the livelihood of domestic milk producers.

--IANS

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