Dairy supply glut matter of concern: National Dairy Development Board chief

“The dairy sector is still facing a crisis. It is a matter of great concern to all of us because a few states had surplus stock of milk, which they converted into milk powder (skimmed milk powder). 

“Now, they are saddled with huge quantity of the powder and are unable to get a good price for it,” NDDB Chairman Dilip Rath told here on Friday. Rath said capital will also be blocked for maintaining the excess stock of the milk powder, which will be a burden on the central government.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of an automatic milk collection system software developed by NDDB for dairy cooperative societies affiliated to the Sundarban Cooperative Milk and Livestock Producers’ Union. The states bearing the maximum impact of the supply glut were Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and UP. In Maharashtra and Punjab milk farmers had recently emptied tankers on the streets as part of protests to press for a hike in procurement prices. 

“The situation in Maharashtra is stable now, as the government has announced a few schemes for milk and powder subsidies,” Rath said. He said the NDDB has made a host of suggestions to the Centre to address the current crisis and assure milk farmers.