Question : Encouraging Dairy Development

(a) whether the income of farmers is likely to increase by encouraging farmers to take up dairy development and cattle rearing along with farming;
(b) if so, the steps being taken by the Government for dairy development and cattle rearing;
(c) whether farmers do not get renumerative price for milk;
(d) if so, the reasons for not fixing the MSP for milk by the Government and the reasons for not implementing an action plan to provide its benefit directly into the bank accounts of farmers;
(e) whether the Government proposes to make available good milch cattle along with interest free loan to the farmers; and
(f) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRYAND DAIRYING
(DR.SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)
(a) Yes Sir.
(b) The Department is implementing following schemes for dairy development and cattle rearing:-
i. National Programme for Dairy Development
ii. National Dairy Plan-Phase I
iii. Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme
iv. Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund
v. Rashtriya Gokul Mission

(c) The price of milk is paid based on the fat and/or Soild Not Fat (SNF) content in the milk. Most of the dairy cooperatives pay to their producers the maximum share of the consumer rupee (about 60-80 per cent) which is highest in the world. Further member farmers also receive annual bonuses plus various input services like veterinary services, Artificial Insemination (AI), cattle feed at subsidized rates etc and around the year market access by the cooperatives.

(d) Government does not control prices of milk. Prices are decided by the Cooperative and Private dairies based on cost of production. Since milk is a highly perishable product, this department does not have any proposal to fix MSP for milk in the country.

(e) & (f) This Department is implementing Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme (DEDS) from 01.09.2010 under which back ended capital subsidy is provided @25% of the project cost for general category and @33.33% for SC/ST farmers establishment of small dairy units (upto 10 animals), rearing of heifer calves- cross bred (upto 20 calves) among other components.

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