Jammu, May 11: The milk output in Jammu and Kashmir is projected to increase by 75 percent, with milk entering the processing chain expected to triple, according to Atal Dulloo, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Agriculture Production Department (APD). He announced that the Union Territory is set to witness a ‘White Revolution’ in the dairy sector in the next five years.
Dulloo stated that the government is confident that milk production will reach 45 Lakh MTs (metric tons) from the current 26 Lakh MTs through various measures. These include expanding breeding coverage, enhancing per-animal productivity, and strengthening milk processing and marketing. The goal is to achieve a 70 percent increase in milk production within the specified timeframe.
Improvements in breeding coverage, from 30 percent to 70 percent, and a 10 percent increase in the conception rate have already been achieved. Additionally, facilities for the production of sexed semen are being created in Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to replace 50 percent of normal semen with sexed semen.
To support the increased milk production, 500 village-level milk collection units and 50 bulk milk chillers have been established. Value addition of 110 lakh liters of milk into traditional products at the village level has also contributed to the rise in per-animal milk productivity from 2400L PA to 4300L PA.
Under the Dairy under Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) project, a key focus is to raise per-animal productivity from 2400 liters to 4300 liters. This will involve expanding the number of Artificial Insemination (AI) centers from 1389 to 2189.
The dairy sector’s development is expected to generate around 16,000 jobs and 600 enterprises over the next five years, providing livelihood opportunities for the youth. The government has allocated over Rs 350 crore for the dairy sector’s development across Jammu and Kashmir.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has recently approved a project aiming to increase milk production by 70 percent within the next five years. These initiatives demonstrate the government’s commitment to improving the livelihoods of the people in the region. The Dairy Development project in J&K is one of the approved 29 projects, cleared by the Apex Committee led by Dr. Mangla Rai.
The ACS highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir can become a model for dairy development nationwide by implementing farm policy reforms. Currently, the annual milk production in the region stands at 26 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT), but the administration has set a target to increase this figure to 45 LMT.
The increase in milk production will be achieved through various measures, including expanding breeding coverage and enhancing per-animal productivity.
