Amidst the juggernaut of the general elections, scarcity of fodder and water is an issue that has so far escaped attention. Dairy farmers said the month of May will be crucial as most have already run out of fodder and water for animals is becoming scarce too. So far this local issue has not been raised by most political parties as they go about the political battle for the 48 seats in the state. This crisis comes even as the animal husbandry department claims that there is enough fodder in the state.
A note shared by the department said the state has spent over Rs 39.88 crore in terms of fodder seeds distribution. During the rabi season, sowing of jowar, maize and other crops which are used for fodder has been normal. Maize and jowar serve as major fodder crops, with farmers preserving the dried stock and vegetation to tide over the dry season. But this, said Rajendra Dhavan, director of The Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Mill in Baramati taluka of Pune district, is now running out. “Areas like Supa in our taluka will start facing a crisis from May 15,”he said.
Amarsinh Kadam, a dairy farmer from Indapur taluka of Pune, said that although milk production has gone down, dairies are reluctant to raise the price. “At present the procurement price of milk with 3.5 per cent fat and 8.5 per cent solid not fat (SNF) is between Rs 24-25/litre,” he said. Kadam, who has around 10 animals, said he has to travel for more than 10 kms to get fodder for his animals.
The genesis of the fodder crisis lies in the less than normal rainfall the state has received this monsoon. Both Rabi and kharif sowing has been affected which has resulted in dairy farmers talking about an acute shortage of fodder and water. Parts of Solapur, Pune, Dharashiv andMarathwada are the worst affected and in some places fodder has already run short. Green fodder in the form of the tops of the sugarcane crop had helped, but with the sugar season almost done, many of the small dairy farmers are now looking at a grim summer. Water has also become scarce in many parts, which has put extra stress on dairy farmers.
Farmers feel they will likely see a drop in production post May, but most dairies said the present procurement price of milk might not see much change.
