DAIRY SECTOR: NABARD to spend Rs. 400 Crore in Punjab

Chandigarh, December 3, 2012: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) would provide a credit flow of Rs 400 crore to Punjab's dairy sector during the next three years to boost milk production and promote dairy farming in the state.

Stating this here today, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Animal Husbandry Minister Punjab said that NABARD has identified three districts namely Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Ropar for modernisation and capacity building in the dairy sector.

"NABARD was in the process of redefining the concept of dairy sector as commercial activity rather than calling it as allied agriculture activity," he said.

Adding, he said that milking machines would be provided to dairy farmers,milk coolers would also be given to both farmers and societies, under the project. Punjab's dairy farming has 9 percent share in country's milk output with less than 2 percent livestock, he said. Per capita availability of milk in the state stood at 931 gram, which is highest in the country, he added.

For Cheaper and economic milk production, resources of green fodder would be further developed in the state for sustainable dairy farming, said the Minister. The Government would provide about 30,000 quintals fodder seeds to the farmers annually for enhancing green fodder production, added Phillaur.