Dairy Sector Development in Jalna District of Maharashtra: Current Status and Future Vision

The poor functioning of MPCS coupled with lack of attention given to dairy development activities have posed many threats to dairy sector of Jalna district, which may ultimately lead to reduction in milk production and supply. This calls for appropriate measures to be initiated to revitalize the dairy sector of Jalna district. It is to be noted that the per capita per day availability of milk in Jalna district is only 135 grams as against ICMR recommendation of 250 grams. The low per capita availability of milk will cause nutritional and health related problems among human beings belonging to Jalna district. Therefore, in order to raise milk production in the district of Jalna, there is a need to adopt multi- pronged strategy encompassing: establishment of milk processing units along with adequate number of chilling plants, increasing the strength of functional milk cooperative societies, revamping of defunct societies, procurement of milk on Fat and SNF basis, increase in number of milk routes, establishment of fodder distribution centres at the village level or establishment of more number of FDC per revenue circle, etc.