JOIN USKMF Managing Director, A S Premnath, said on Monday the demand for milk and other dairy products was increasing and in view of the lean season expected in the summer months of April and May, they had taken necessary measures to prevent a shortfall.
“The production has dropped from 39 lakh litres a day to 33 lakh litres a day. Hence, we have completely stopped the supply of milk to other states, including Kerala. We will be able to meet the demand this summer and we do not foresee any decreased output in any of our product lines,” he said.
Summer usually sees a decrease in production and in some cases, the farmers sell the milk to private suppliers. But, with the increased prices of milk and dairy products being passed on to the farmers directly, KMF hopes it can procure milk regularly from the farmers. Another problem, according to Premnath, is the sale of cattle to people outside the State. “For the past one year, cows are being sold at Rs 45,000 each. Earlier, people from nearby states used to purchase the cows. Now we have people coming from North India also buying cows.
This is beginning to affect milk production. We are mulling over enforcing a ban on such sale of cattle,” he added.
KMF also plans to start cattle feed production units in Ramanagar and Hassan.