India may Import Dairy Products amid Stagnant Milk Output
India may consider dairy products’ import on tight supply amid stagnant milk output.
- In 2021-22, India’s milk output stood at 221 million tonnes, while it was 208 million tonnes in the previous year
- India’s milk production remained stagnant last year due to lumpy skin disease in cattle.
India may look at importing dairy products like butter and ghee if needed as there is a supply constraint for such items due to stagnant milk production in the last fiscal year, a top government official said on Wednesday.
After assessing the stock position of milk in Southern states where the flushing season has started, the government will intervene to import dairy products, he said, adding that the country’s milk production was static in 2022-23 due to lumpy skin disease in cattle.
In 2021-22, India’s milk output stood at 221 million tonnes, while it was 208 million tonnes in the previous year, according to official data published by the news agency PTI.
Speaking at a press briefing, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh informed that the domestic demand grew by 8-10% in the same period because of a rebound in the post-pandemic demand.
“There is no constraint in milk supply as such in the country…There is an adequate inventory of skimmed milk powder (SMP). But in the case of dairy products, especially fats, butter, and ghee, etc, the stocks are lower than the previous year,” he said.
However, Singh observed that dairy products’ import may not be beneficial at this point in time because international prices in recent months are ruling firms. “We will assess the flush season in the rest of the country and then take a call.”
The shortage will be less in north India where the lean season has been postponed with temperatures cooling down due to untimely rains in the last 20 days, he added as quoted by PTI.
He added that it is a true rise in fodder prices that has led to milk inflation. There is a problem in fodder supply as the fodder crop area has remained stagnant in the last four years, while the dairy sector has been growing annually at 6%.
Source-https://www.livemint.com/news/india
