New Financial Aid Targets Crucial Cattle Feed Costs for Relief.
In a welcome move for dairy farmers, the state government has approved significant financial assistance, to be distributed through local self-government institutions, specifically for purchasing essential cattle feed materials. This crucial aid, which includes support for hay, green fodder, and silage, was initiated based on a resolution from the State-Level Coordination Committee of the Decentralised Planning Program, providing much-needed relief to the agribusiness sector.
Under the new directive, local bodies are now authorized to provide financial support to dairy farmers at a rate of ₹4 per kilogram for hay, and ₹3 per kilogram for green fodder and silage. Each individual farmer can benefit from up to ₹5,000 for hay purchases and an additional ₹5,000 for fodder and silage. All local self-government institutions have been instructed to prepare the necessary projects to implement this vital scheme, with disbursements channeled through registered dairy cooperative societies.
This new fodder subsidy complements existing support mechanisms for dairy producers. Currently, local bodies already provide a milk incentive of ₹3 per litre under a joint initiative by district, block, and grama panchayats. Furthermore, financial assistance is also extended for the acquisition of milch cows, underscoring a comprehensive approach to bolstering the dairy industry and improving dairy economics for small-scale farmers.
The decision to extend aid for fodder is particularly impactful given the high costs associated with cattle feed. Most dairy cooperatives currently procure hay from paddy fields at a rate of up to ₹8 per kilogram. Green fodder averages around ₹5 per kilogram, while silage expenses can climb to ₹12 per kilogram. Considering that a cow yielding five litres of milk per day requires at least 20 kilograms of hay daily, fodder represents a major operational expense for many dairy farms.
Although described as modest, this newly introduced financial support is expected to provide substantial relief to the struggling dairy farming community. By directly subsidizing a significant input cost, the government aims to alleviate financial pressure on milk producers, contributing to the stability and sustainability of the dairy supply chain and ensuring the continued livelihood of those engaged in dairy production.
Source: Mathrubhumi English: Relief for dairy farmers; Local bodies to provide financial aid for fodder
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