BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has set the target to double the milk production in the state in next five years and touch 150 lakh litre per day by 2030, said Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD) minister Gokulananda Mallik on Tuesday.
Speaking at a state-level event organised to mark National Milk Day, the minister said the state now produces around 72 lakh litre of milk per day. While the per capita requirement is 300 ml of milk per day, the production is only about 160 ml, he said.
In order to enhance the milk production and boost the dairy sector, Mallik said, the government has recently launched Mukhyamantri Kamadhenu Yojana with an outlay of `1,423.47 crore for five years.
“We have taken several measures to enhance milk production and promote farmers. Financial assistance of up to `1 crore is being provided for establishing dairy units and milk processing plants under Mukhyamantri Krishi Udyog Yojana,” he said.
This apart, 314 mobile veterinary units have been pressed into service to strengthen livestock healthcare services in rural areas. Artificial insemination is being done through sex-sorted semen in order to make dairying more profitable. Dairy farmers are also being provided assistance for fodder cultivation, vaccination and deworming of animals, Mallik said.
