Imports of dairy products will have an adverse effect: Sharad Pawar

ATM News Network: Former Union Agriculture Minister and NCP President Sharad Pawar objects to the central government's idea of importing dairy products into India. Sharad Pawar demands this decision be reconsidered. This decision will have a direct impact on the country's farmers and milk industries recovering after the pandemic.

Sharad Pawar wrote a letter to Union Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Purushottam Rupala in this regard. The central government is considering dairy products like butter and ghee if needed. Any decision in this regard is undesirable.

Farmers of the country are recovering from the crisis of Corona. Importing products affects local farmers and industries. The Centre should look into this matter. Also, Mr. Pawar said in the letter that he would be happy if the ministry cancelled the decision to import milk products.

Milk production in the country is projected to increase by 6.25 percent to 221 million tonnes in 2021-22, according to official data. In 2020-21, it was 208 million tonnes. India last imported dairy products in 2011. Now the idea of importing milk products has started again.

Meanwhile, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Central Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Department held a press conference on Wednesday evening. He said that milk production remained stable in the last financial year and India may consider importing milk products if there is a bottleneck in the supply of milk products and if the need arises.

In the southern states where the crop production season has started, the government will intervene to import dairy products like butter and ghee if necessary after assessing the milk stocks, he said.

In the financial year 2022-23, milk production in the country remained at a standstill due to an outbreak of the lumpy disease in cattle. Domestic demand grew by 8-10 percent during the same period. There is no problem with the milk supply in the country. Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP) has an adequate inventory. But in terms of dairy products, especially butter, and ghee, stocks are lower than last year, he said.

Singh observed that imports may not be profitable at this time as international prices have remained stable in recent months. We will assess the timing of milk production growth in the rest of the country and then take a decision.

Due to the increase in fodder prices, the price of milk has increased. Fodder supply has become a problem as fodder crop area has stagnated over the past four years. He also said that the growth of the dairy industry is 6 percent annually.

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