(Posted on 22 November 2010)
The Government of Kerala is entering the milk production and distribution through three hi-tech farms to be set up at Kulathuppuzha, Kolahalamedu and Mattuppetty. The urgency: The State has to achieve self sufficiency in milk production by the end of its term of office. According to Sri. C.Divakaran, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Kerala, there is an estimated shortage of 12 lakh litres of milk per day in Kerala ('The Hindu'). One can derive the following figures from the media reports:
Small holdings naturally bring more wealth to farmers and food security for the masses. At the same time, it can pose threats to the human race as well. The recent incidence of Congo fever (Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever) in Gujarat in January points a finger to the growing animal stock in urban areas. A young house surgeon was the first, followed by the physician and two nurses taking the death toll to four. Two more cases are reported in February too. And this is the first reported incidence of the disease in India. The source is yet to be confirmed. However, it is a disease transmitted to man from animals via ticks and is near fatal with 30% mortality.
Senior Scientist Dr Sreedhar Mulinti took us around the Quality Control Laboratory of Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University. He was more than ready to narrate the origin, functioning and services rendered by the semi-commercial laboratory. According to him, this Laboratory was sanctioned by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India. Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) is taking care of the infra structural facilities, staff and expenditure of this Laboratory.
We were listening to Dr N Kondiah for more than one hour. The Director of the National Research centre on Meat was so humorous at the same time so conversant while elaborating on the meat industry of India. We, as trainees on the programme ‘WTO and its implications on the agricultural sector’ at Extension Education Institute (Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad) were making an industry visit. Dr Kondiah allowed us to visit the laboratories and we could even taste almost all the recently developed meat delicacies.
About one third of the milk proteins are beta caseins and their breakdown on digestion create different biological activities. And A1 and A2 are the prominent types of Beta caseins of which A2 is thought to be the original Beta casein produced by the ancestors of the present day dairy cattle. The studies worldwide have shown that A2 Beta casein rich milk is likely to reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 1 childhood diabetes. It is also believed that the digestion of A2 Beta caseins does not produce proteins linked to worsening of autism symptoms.
In the era of conservation, where IUCN is giving more emphasis to conservation of Asian Elephants, this story on mitigation of human- elephant conflict among captive Asian elephants in India will be an eye opener to all CEC members. The measures to reduce this human- elephant conflict were very successful with the help of strategic extension programmes. Among range countries, human- elephant conflict is an important area of concern in India. Among captive Asian elephants human- elephant conflict is acquiring momentum in the country.
Devidasan, a tusker from Trichur, Kerala has become much more handsome than he was before the delicate dental treatment he has undergone.
The Milk producers have to pay for various direct and indirect costs to which unfortunately many stakeholders in addition to policy makers are insensitive. This paper highlights the issues which force the milk producers to remain at crossroads.Suggestions to the stakeholders of milk production to empathize with the situation and deliver their roles in a manner that helps to ease the burden on the small milk producer. People in general recognize the importance of milk in their daily routine and for many of them life without milk is difficult to imagine.
The milk crisis of Kerala created furor, but the action taken is likely to perpetuate more trouble. The Hon’ble minister Mr. C. Divakaran had initially (rightly) expressed his opposition to hike the procurement price as it neither enhances the local procurement nor helps producers of Kerala. But price rise provided an opportunity for private milk marketers and feed traders to exploit producers and consumers.
The state's milk production sector could soon be hosting a French revolution.The Kerala Livestock Development Board has signed a partnership agreement with UMOTEST-COOPEX, a cooperative of Montebeliarde cattle-breeding farmers in France, for improving the genetic stock of dairy cattle in Kerala.The cooperative agreed to provide 2,000 doses of frozen semen from 10 superiorMontbeliarde bulls and 50 embryos of the breed for starting a technical programme in the State.