All the 137members of Ganangalu Milk Society think that NDDB has provided them with a fair, transparent and quality based milk procurement system to get a greater access to the organised milk processing sector.
But it’s not been like that always for them. Just a year back they were unhappy as they were getting payment based on the rate received from chilling centre. The Data Processing Milk Collection Unit (DPMCU) installed by NDDB in 2013 has made all the difference. Now the milk producers of Ganangalu Society are satisfied asmilk testing is carried out in front of them. They are impressed by the regular milk payments based on a slip at an interval of 10 days. The quality of milk has also improved.
After the DPMCU was installed, Ganangalu Milk Society’s milk procurement increased from 443 litres per day to 472 litres per day. The percentage of milk fat also increased from 3.8 to 4.1.
Dairying has guided the transition of life of a villager associated with poverty to a dignified life of being a Local Resource Person (LRP). The story of Kanthamma of Doddanallurahallivillage is a glaring example of such a transition.
NDDB introduced the Ration Balancing Programme (RBP) at Doddanallurahalli Milk Society in 2013. Dairy Board’s initiativetook charge of her destiny.She now knows that feed contributes about 70% of the total cost of milk production and reducing the cost of feeding would significantly improve the incomes of milk producers. Kanthamma now conducts village meetings to educate dairy farmers on scientific animal feeding for improving the efficiency of utilization of existing feed resources for enhanced milk production.
Animals covered at Doddanallurahalli Milk Society under RBPstands at 83 and the number recorded under impact is 79. The average milk increase is 0.36 (kg/animal/day) and averagerise in fat percentage is 0.08. The average reduction in daily feeding cost is Rs. 5.32 per kg milk. The net gain by the farmer is about Rs.68 per animal per day.
While interacting with the milk producers, Shri T Nanda Kumar, Chairman, NDDB said, “Efforts to increase milk production through an increase in productivity would result in a growing marketable milk surplus. It will be necessary to support this effort by providing milk producers better opportunities for sale of surplus milk - by expanding village based milk procurement systems that facilitate fair and transparent transactions”. He said that Dairy Board aims to empower women in rural areas by making them self-sufficient through milk cooperative societies. Chairman NDDB said that in villages, it is women who care for, feed and milk the animals. We must think how we can reach out to them as they can far better carry the message of breeding, feeding and veterinary care. Raising their participation is essential to the long term strength of the dairy cooperative movement. NDDB’s efforts will contribute to improve quality of life of rural dairy farmers.
As on date, under NDP Phase I, the total outlay for Karnataka isRs 141.46 crore covering Bangalore, Kolar, Mysore, Raichur, Bellary, Hassan, Mandya, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad and Shimoga for activities related to RBP, Fodder Demonstration and Village Based Milk Procurement System (VBMPS). It also covers High Genetic Merit Bulls and semen production projects being implemented by Karnataka Milk Federation.
