Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (RD/CN)
 
Mangalore, Oct 21: A mega convention of dairy farmers will be held in the city on Tuesday November 4, in an attempt to get the state government to initiate necessary steps to rescue the ailing industry and hike the buying rate of milk.
 
The convention will be held under the joint aegis of the Dakshina Kannada (DK) district Milk Producers Forum, Bharatiya Kissan Sangh, DK and Udupi district Sahakar Bharati. Over 10,000 dairy farmers from both districts are expected to attend, said B S Ram Mohan, president, Dakshina Kannada District Milk Producers’ Forum, at a press meet on Monday October 20.
 
Last year, nearly 10,000 dairy farmers gave up the occupation as it failed to brig I adequate income. Many of the 600 milk producers’ co-operative societies in the district are on the verge of closure.

More than a hundred societies have stopped functioning and the rest are struggling for their survival.  Cows yielding large quantities of milk are often sold to agriculturists in neighbouring districts and states. Repercussions of decline in dairy farming have also impacted on agricultural activities and organic farming has ceased to exist.

Agriculturists are migrating to the cities in large numbers, as they find it difficult to earn a decent livelihood due to agricultural overheads and shortage of agricultural labourers, explained Ram Mohan, emphasizing the need for such a convention.
 
The production cost for a litre of milk works out to Rs 27.80 of which the government bears Rs 2 and the rest has to be borne by the dairy farmers, he said. Citing the example of the Kerala government, which has introduced a pension scheme for those dairy farmers who supply more than 5,000 litres to a co-operative society, he stressed the need for similar measures in the state.
 
Navinchandra Jain, Sanjeev Matandoor, Dr Krishna Bhat, and B K Ramesh, were present at the press meet.