Animal feed industry should take serious steps to address fodder shortage: Rupala

New Delhi: The animal feed industry should take serious steps in an innovative manner to address the current shortage of fodder in the country, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala said on Friday.

It is an irony that on one hand farmers are burning stubble, while on the other they are facing the fodder problem, he said, and asked the industry to look into these two issues and find a new solution.

"Currently, we are facing the problem of fodder in the country. To address this problem, the industry should take serious steps in innovative ways and on a new scale," Rupala said addressing a symposium organised by industry body CLFMA of India.

That apart, the minister said the industry should think about scaling up the fodder production so that the cost does not rise and impact milk prices.

"If the cost of feed/fodder rises, its impact is on milk prices. It also affects the income of dairy farmers," he added.

In a normal year, the country faces a deficit of 12.15 per cent green fodder, 25-26 per cent of dry fodder and 36 per cent of concentrated fodder. The deficits are mainly due to seasonal and regional factors.

Highlighting various steps taken to boost this livestock and dairying sector, Rupala said the government is linking technology with the dairy sector and helping open new avenues. Even fund allocation after creating a new ministry has increased.

For instance, the total expenditure on the fishery sector was meagre at Rs 3,680 crore since the country's independence till 2014.

However, after creating a new ministry, the allocation for just one scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana' -- launched in September 2020 -- was Rs 20,000 crore, he added.

The dairy sector can be a good source of income for farmers amid limited scope of area expansion under agriculture, he added.