New Delhi: The Government on Friday informed the Rajya Sabha that milk prices in the country has increased as the expenditure on fodder has gone up. The information was shared in the Upper House of the Parliament by the Minister of State of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Sanjeev Kumar Balyan.
The Union Minister also said that the dairy companies pass on as much as 75 per cent of the retail price to the farmers adding that it is necessary to strike a balance between the consumers and farmers.
He said that farmers could take up dairy farming only when they get higher returns on milk. The Minister also said that the price of fodder has recently increased, resulting in a hike in milk farms.
Answering a separate question, the Minister the trial of a vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease developed by ICAR institute in Hisar is being conducted by three private organizations. "The trial is underway. I am hopeful after the trial, the vaccine will be commercialised soon," added Balyan.
"Vaccination with the available domestically manufactured Goat Pox vaccine is continuing and around 8.49 crore animals have been vaccinated, so far...There is no information regarding the demand for this vaccine in other countries," the Minister stated in a separate reply regarding the development of vaccines for the Lumpy Skin Disease.
"Lumpy Skin disease among cattle in India is presently under control. Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has issued advisories /guidelines / protocolsfor containment of LSD as well as for isolation of infected animals, vaccination, hygiene and treatment. Control Room at the centre has been set up, which coordinates efforts of the States in controlling LSD," he added.
