Demand and supply gap being monitored in dairy sector: Govt on import of milk products

New Delhi [India], April 6 : The central government is monitoring the demand and supply gap observed in the dairy sector- primarily due to increased demand milk products post-COVID-19 pandemic, said the Ministry of Fisheries, mal Husbandry and Dairying on Thursday.

In a statement, the government said it is well aware and considerate of the fact that dairying has been a major source of livelihood for millions of dairy farmers in the country and all the schemes and programmes are aimed at further strengthening it.

However, this is a fact that there has been some demand and supply gap observed in the dairy sector- primarily due to increased demand for nutritious, safe and hygienic milk and milk products post COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry said.

To meet the growing demand and considering the fact that the supply of milk in the ensuing summer season being a lean season may be less, the Ministry said there were demands from several dairy cooperatives for the import of conserved dairy commodities - milk fat and powder.

With this background, NDDB and the government have been monitoring the demand-supply situation. Since the process of import takes time, the necessary back-end processes are being put in place to timely manage the situation in case of any eventuality.

In case the situation warrants, the import may be done to help ease out the situation for the dairy cooperatives to meet the summer demands. However, in that case, also it will be ensured that it is routed only through NDDB and the needy Unions may be given the stocks at the market price after proper assessment.

"This will ensure that the market is not distorted and the interests of our dairy farmer is protected, which is paramount and central to any decision taken by the government," said the statement.

"The article that MP Sharad Pawar ji is referring to in his letter addressed to Minister of mal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Purushottam Rupala, which is available in public domain, only states that a decision will be taken after watching the demand-supply position later in the summer, which inter alia means that no final decision has been taken in this regard," the statement added.