Milma’s affidavit in the Kerala High Court that its milk
sachets contain reconstituted skimmed milk powder seems to have raised
many an eyebrow.
Jino G. Maliyakal, State secretary,
Kerala Aggressive Dairy Farmers Association, wants the government to
come out with a definition of milk in this context.
‘‘This
is a serious issue affecting future generations. Whether the milk
supplied by dairy farmers to Milma (Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing
Federation Ltd) and other agencies comes under the definition of milk is
another question. The government has to take into consideration all
types of milk, including milk sachets of Milma and other agencies as
well as the milk supplied by farmers. Also, whether there is mix of cow,
buffalo, and goat milk in the milk that consumers get is a natural
question,’’ he says.
Another question, according to
him, is that the State’s milk production is 22 lakh litres a day
(marketed by Milma and other agencies). But the maximum demand is 60
lakh litres a day (during festival seasons such as Onam). So what kind
of milk is brought in to meet the demand gap, he asks.
SNF, fat contents
According
to Mr. Maliyakal, Milma’s affidavit says that the milk from crossbred
cows in the State contains a lower SNF (solid non-fat) content and that
if skimmed milk powder is not added, toned and double-toned milk within
the standards prescribed in the Food Safety Standard Regulations could
not be produced in Kerala.
‘‘It is true that the milk
of cows in Kerala will not have a regular percentage of SNF and fat.
The SNF and fat contents of milk supplied by farmers to Milma are tested
in its laboratories. Milma will not naturally reveal the real fat and
SNF contents as it will have to pay more price for more fat content.
Then how is such content being really analysed in the State,’’ he asks.
Dairy farmers, on the other hand, are finding the going very tough. The
Planning Commission itself has listed dairy farming as an allied sector
of agriculture. So the dairy farmer gets loan only at 12 per cent,
compared to 4 per cent for agriculture, Mr. Maliyakal said.
Mechanisation
He points out that the solution of mechanisation being touted for labour shortage cannot be viable for small dairy farmers.
A huge investment will not be possible for such farmers.
G.
Krishnakumar, who has around 15 cows, says he had installed large
machines which could milk four cows at a time, but the electricity
charges are too high.
Mr. Maliyakal points out the
cluster approach as a solution to the dairy farmer’s woes. In this
approach, cow or other animal rearing is considered as milk production
unit, cow urine and cow dung and its various uses come under another
unit, production of grass another unit, and selling of milk and milk
products yet another unit. All these units will be independent but
function as a single cluster, he says.
