Directorate of Extension, SKUAST-Kashmir today celebrated National Milk Day. While highlighting the importance of the day, Prof.Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, Director Extension SKUAST-K informed that the country has made remarkable achievement in milk production and is the largest producer of milk in the world. The country owes much of its success in achieving milk production in the country to Dr. Varghese Kurien also called as ‘Milkman of India’. Acknowledging his efforts, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has decided to celebrate his birthday Nov. 26 as National Milk Day. The day is being celebrated all over the country as a tribute to recognize the contributions of Dr. Varghese Kurien in the Dairy sector.
While chairing a high level meeting of the entire Programme Coordinators of KVKs of Kashmir region, Prof. Makhdoomi expressed concern over the low productivity of the livestock in this region . He told that although the country has the highest livestock population yet the milk production per unit of animal is less as compared to developed economies. Director Extension instructed them to focus on increasing the milk yield per animal and devise a suitable strategy for their district in coordination with the line departments for holistic development of the livestock sector. The strategy should be based on proper rearing, feeding, breeding, immunization, disease control and all other related aspects of livestock management. He further said that in the recent time Lumpy Skin Disease LSD has emerged as a serious threat resulting in a great economic loss to the Dairy farmers. While the KVKs have to ensure that the timely and necessary advisories are disseminated to the livestock owners, it also becomes imperative for them to take proactive measures so that the epidemic like LSD can be prevented. Director Extension also asked the Programme Coordinators to depute their experts for training of women folk on processing and value addition of milk and to hold special camps in remote regions to aware the dairy farmers about various government schemes available for the dairy sector so that they can avail the benefits and raise their socio-economic standard.
