The total milk production in Ernakulam district has increased by above 35 percent in the last one year. According to Milma estimate, the total milk production in the district has reached 58,000 litres a day from 42,000 litres.
Ernakulam region of Milma, which covers the districts of Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur, expects an increase of 11 percent in the total procurement in the financial year 2012-13.
“The price hike of milk in September 5 last year by Rs 5 per litre is the major reason behind the spurt in production. Owing to the price hike people became more interested in the field. The attrition of the milk farmers was reduced in the past one year,” said M T Jayan, Milma chairman of Ernakulam region.
According to Jayan, the total milk requirement during the 11 days of Onam season in the Ernakulam region is 41 lakh litres. On the day of Uthradam alone the total requirement will be six lakh litres, he said.
But the Milma officials said that though the production has increased, it will not be suffice to meet the requirements of the state.
“The demand for milk is increasing in tune with the production. Even if the production increases by 100 percent, the demand cannot be met,” Milma officials said.
However, dairy farmers also caution that the increase in the price of cattles and cattle feed may have an adverse impact on production. “More dairy farmers have come to the field soon after the increase in milk prices. But owing to the price hike of the cattle and cattle feed they are showing less interest in the field. This would lead to decrease in milk production in the near future,” said Suresh Vadakkumana, a milk farmer at Manjummal.
Milma is planning to bring 8 lakh litres of milk from Karnataka, Coimbatore and Tirupathy during Onam season to meet the huge requirement in the state.
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