Rain, flood, hit milk production in Belagavi district

The incessant rain and heavy flooding have severely affected dairy farming in Belagavi district. There had been a significant decline in the quantity of milk being supplied to Belgaum District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Societies Union Limited (Bemul)

Bemul has a total of 749 milk producers cooperatives as members of which 597 have been functioning. The total production of milk from these societies has come down by an average of 35,000 litres per day since the first week of August. Before the floods, Bemul used to collect 1.80 lakh litres of milk per day, which came down to 1.35 lakh litres subsequent to the deluge. However, with the receding of floods, there had been a little improvement in the supply - at 1.50 lakh litres for the past four days.

As many as 274 cattle have perished in the floods and most of the haystacks have been washed away. Fodder scarcity has surfaced as green grass is underwater. Non-availability of fodder too has contributed for the slump in milk production.

Som Prasanna, the head of marketing divisional Bemul, said that drought had cast adverse effect on dairy farming in the district. “There has been a considerable fall in the milk arrival. It takes months together to recover from this condition.”

He said that Bemul had expected that milk production would reach 2.75 lakh this monsoon. But, the target seems to be far in the present circumstances. The production has come down in Chikkodi, Kagawad, Raibagh and Athani regions, which contribute a major portion of the output.

He said that “Nandini” milk was being distributed free for the flood-victims who have taken shelter in relief centres. Nandini cattle feed is also be provided free.