IDAnews NATIONALnews - Indian Dairy Association

same. The ban on import of Chinese milk and milk products,
including chocolate products, candies, confectionery
and food preparations having milk as an ingredient, has
been extended from June 23 this year.
India had imposed a ban on Chinese milk and milk
A Hostel that Nurtures
The Cattle Care Centre in
Koduvalli near Red Hills in
Tamil Nadu is a hostel for
over 60 milch buffaloes belonging
to farmers. The Centre
has been launched on an
experimental basis to provide
round-the-clock veterinary
care, nutritious feed and a
hygienic milking environment,
all under one roof.
Dr. R. Prabakaran,
Vice-Chancellor, Tamil
Nadu Veterinary and Animal
Sciences University (TANUVAS), says the centre was
launched to provide space for farmers to engage in hygienic
milk production. “It is an eco-friendly place, where all the
waste is completely recycled and reused.”
Cattle owners leave their cattle at the centre where
they are released to graze during the day. The Centre has a
five-acre plot exclusively for raising organic fodder by using
Expanding exports for Indian dairy
THE INDIAN DAIRY SECTOR is expecting an
increase in its export to Southeast Asia,
due to a growing demand for milk in the
region. According to some estimates
SMP export to the region could rise to
10,000 tonnes from the present 5,000
tonnes.
“Across Asia, India is the only
country with surplus milk. Above all, we
have the location advantage to cater to
the Southeast Asian market. Also, price
competitiveness is there,” said Mr. R.S.
Sodhi, Managing Director of GCMMF.
Milk consumption in Southeast
Asia is mainly driven by high birth rates,
rising incomes, improving diets, growth
in modern retailing, urbanisation and
JULY 2013
products in September 2008 due to the presence of
melamine. More than a dozen countries in Asia and Africa
have banned milk and dairy product imports from
China due to melamine content, the dangerous chemical
that can cause kidney stones as well as organ failure.
the urine and the dung of
the cattle. The remaining
dung is utilized for producing
bio-gas, which is used
in the hostel kitchen. The
centre has also taken up
vermi-composting.
Nearly 125 litres of
milk is collected every day.
This is bought by the college
for its dairy plant and
the farmers are paid ` 30
per litre for the milk. According
to Dr. Prabakaran,
the Centre caters to three villages in and around Koduvalli.
One of the major advantages at the Centre is the
availability of round-the-clock medical attention for cattle.
The veterinarians at the centre identify any contagious disease
and attend to it before it has a chance to spread. A
great initiative, the Centre has the potential to be replicated
nationally.
countrywide school milk programmes.
Countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam are increasingly dependent on
imports. A Rabobank report said dairy
trade in the region surpassed 1.6 million
tonnes in 2012.
Indian skimmed milk powder
(SMP) reportedly cost around US$ 3450
per tonne. In comparison, nations such
as Australia and New Zealand charge
between US$ 3550-3650 per tonne.
“We see 7,000-8,000 tonnes of
SMP exports every month. Farmers
benefit from this, as we get a good price
from the international market,”
said Sodhi. According to Mr. R.G.
INDIAN DAIRYMAN
49