Drought hits dairy farmers in Trichirappalli District.

Cattle farm in Sirugamani- Shortage of green fodder

‘The present drought condition hits dairy farmers too in Trichirappalli District’ said K.Devendran, a farmer in Sirugamani.He further said, “ We have small cattle farm in Sirugamani in Srirangam Taluk of Trichirappalli District of Tamilnadu with 28 cross breed milking cows and their calves, 30 cross breed goats. We supply milk to Aavin, an outfit of Tamilnadu Government. The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu is kind enough to announce various welfare schemes for the benefit of poor and farming community. Hon’ble Chief Minister also made announcements for promotion significant schemes that support Cattle rearing Sector. 2013 is a year worst affected by drought and Trichirappalli District is also affected by drought. The green fodder cultivation needs water, thus the cultivation of green fodder is an important cultivation to feed the cows and goats and now the green fodder cultivation was affected by drought. The cost of concentrated cow feed also had become very expensive. We supply around 9000 liters of milk to Government owned cooperative Federation, Aavin. Sharp hike in feed prices for the past few months has left us high and dry. Government may consider providing cow farmers the subsided cattle feed and promote fodder banks in the required Blocks for the benefit of milk production and also increase the cattle population. It will be also helpful to increase Rs.5 per litre of milk from the existing procurement cost. It is very much appreciated that Government of Tamilnadu provides free electricity to farmers, and such provision of electricity at free of cost for cattle farm,which  will also benefit the cow farmers like us. Because of the increase in prices of cattle feed ,we are forced to reduce the amount of feed that is fed to the cattle which in turn affects quantity of milk produced. On an average, the input cost which includes concentrated cattle feed, filling material and veterinary expenses during lactation, incurred by us to get one litre of milk works out to be nearly Rs 20 per litre. If the labour charges are also included, the cost is unsustainable. My humble submission is that Animal husbandry department officials should look into the plight of the dairy farmers and present their field report to the Government so that Honble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu will consider the aspirations of dairy farmers like us” Govin