India last imported dairy products in 2011. (Representative)
New Delhi:
A top government official today said the country may look at importing dairy products, if required, as supply of such items is constrained due to stagnant milk production in the last fiscal.
He said the government will intervene, if necessary, to import dairy products like butter and ghee, after assessing the milk stock position in the southern states where the flushing (peak production) season has now begun.
According to official data, milk production in the country stood at 221 million tonnes in 2021-22, up 6.25 per cent from 208 million tonnes in the previous year.
Addressing a press conference, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said that the country’s milk production remained stagnant in FY 2022-23 due to Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle, while the domestic demand increased by 8-10 percent in the same period. happened because of the spurt in demand after the pandemic.
“There is no constraint in the supply of milk in the country… There is sufficient inventory of Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP). But in case of dairy products, especially fat, butter and ghee etc. the stock is less as compared to last year , “They said.
He said the government will intervene, if necessary, to import dairy products like butter and ghee, after assessing the milk stock position in the southern states where the flushing (peak production) season has now begun.
However, Rajesh Kumar Singh observed that imports may not be profitable at this point of time as international prices have been stable in recent months.
“If global prices are high then there is no point in importing. We will assess the flush season in the rest of the country and then take a decision.
The deficit will be less in north India, where unseasonal rains over the past 20 days have postponed the inclement weather with a drop in temperature, he added.
According to the secretary, the country’s milk production remained stable due to the effects of lumpy skin disease that killed 1.89 lakh cattle last year and a post-pandemic surge in milk demand.
“The effect of Lumpy Skin Disease on cattle can be felt to such an extent that the total milk production is little stable. Generally milk production is increasing at the rate of 6 per cent annually. However this year (2022-23) it will be less .. either remain stable or grow at the rate of 1-2 per cent,” said Rajesh Kumar Singh.
Since the government takes into account milk production figures of the cooperative sector and not the entire private and unorganized sector, “we believe it will remain stable,” said Rajesh Kumar Singh.
It is in fact the increase in the prices of fodder that has led to an increase in the price of milk. He said there is a problem with fodder supply as the area under fodder crop has remained stagnant in the last four years, while the dairy sector is growing at 6 per cent annually.
India last imported dairy products in 2011.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)