The Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala, on Friday ruled out any possibility of importing dairy products such as butter and said supplies will be increased with the help of huge, untapped domestic sources.
“There is no truth in it (the shortage of dairy products). No import will take place,” Rupala said on the sidelines of the launch of two animal health initiatives in Delhi. The minister categorically stated that there is no shortage of milk in the country and the government is regularly monitoring it.
The minister’s statement is seen on the backdrop of Animal Husbandry secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh’s statement last week that stocks of dairy products, especially butter and ghee, were lower than the previous year. The country may import if the need arises, but only after an assessment, he said. The government’s assessment points to either stagnant or 1-2 per cent growth in milk production in 2022-23 due to lumpy skin disease in cattle and rebound in post-Covid demand.
Pawar opposes imports
Admitting that demand has increased, Rupala said: “We have a huge untapped area, we will try to tap that. We will manage it properly and there is no need to worry.”
Last week, former agriculture minister and NCP leader Sharad Pawar wrote to the government urging it not to import dairy products as allowing import will directly affect the income of the domestic milk producers. Ironically, it was Pawar when he had approved import of dairy products in 2011, the last time the country had to purchase from abroad.
On the rise in retail prices of dairy products, Rupala said there is no need to worry about the prices as farmers are getting good rates.
In 2021-22, India’s milk output increased to 221 million tonnes (mt) from 208 mt in the previous year, according to official data.