DKMUL to introduce calf rearing, mini-dairy schemes

As a part of the silver jubilee celebrations, Dakshina Kannada Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (DKMUL) would introduce revised ‘mini-dairy scheme’ and ‘calf rearing scheme.’

Informing the same to media persons here on Thursday, DKMUL President Raviraj Hegde said the schemes would help and encourage farmers rearing cattle.

In the mini-dairy scheme, if a farmer purchases 5 calves, he would be given cattle feed worth Rs 12,500 free of cost. Besides, the farmers would be given 25 per cent subsidy on cow shed cleaning equipment, 20 per cent subsidy on milking machine, 25 per cent subsidy on grass cutting machine and a subsidy upto Rs 4,500 would be given if the farmer sets up gober gas unit, Hegde informed.

Similarly, the ‘calf rearing scheme’ would be introduced on the lines of Gokul dairy in Mumbai through which the union expects a cow to give milk within a year. “In normal cases, a cow takes 2 to 3 years to produce milk,” he said and added that the scheme would help farmer (cows) in ‘tagging,’ ‘de-worming’ and also provide special cattle feed which helps the calf to grow fast and produce milk within a year.

As a part of silver jubilee celebrations, the union is also planning to launch ‘paneer’ and Nandini Bite, a chocolate based product, to the market, he informed. The DKMUL was set up on May 8, 1986.

Awareness on animal husbandry

Stating that the younger generation has very little knowlege on animal husbandry, Hegde said the DKMUL would organise a quiz contest for school children to create awareness on the same, as part of silver jubilee celebrations.

Accordingly, the DKMUL plans to cover 45,000 students from 473 high schools in DK and 27,000 students from 246 high schools in Udupi district. Three students from each school would be selected to take part in the taluk-level quiz and 15 students from each taluk would be selected to take part in the district-level quiz. The top 3 winners of taluk-level quiz contest would receive Rs 1,500, Rs 1,250 and Rs 1,000 besides a gift hamper while the top 3 winners of district-level quiz would get Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 in cash in addition to gift hampers.

DKMUL Managing Director Chandrashekar Nayak was present.

Drastic dip

The Dakshina Kannada district was producing 2,25,000 litres of milk everyday in 2006.

However, over the years the production has declined and at present, it produces only 1,80,000 litres of milk, which is an alarming position, DKMUL President Raviraj Hegde said.

Stating that the market for milk has gone up by 6 per cent, the production has dipped by 2 per cent affecting the district. “Out of the required 3,00,000 litres of milk everyday, the Milk Union is able to produce only 1,75,000 litres while the remaining 1,25,000 litres is procured from other milk federations,” he said.

To a query on proposed hike in milk price, he said that it is evident as all the states including Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh have deficit milk. “Though Karnataka has a little excess milk, there is a deficit in DK district,” he said.

Taluk-level quiz from tomorrow

The taluk-level quiz will be held in the following places. Karkala and Sullia taluk (Jan 22), Puttur taluk (Jan 23), Mangalore urban (Jan 24), Mangalore rural and Belthangady taluk (Jan 27), Udupi and Moodbidre taluk (Jan 29), Kundapur taluk (Jan 30) and Bantwal taluk (Jan 31).

Fifteen students from each taluk will be selected to take part in the district-level quiz to be held in the first week of February.