DKMUL to provide ₹25 as subsidy for 50 kg of cattle feed from August 1

As part of its initiative to boost milk production, the Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited (DKMUL) will supply cattle feed to farmers at a subsidised cost from August 1.

As part of its initiative to boost milk production, the Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd. (DKMUL) will supply cattle feed to farmers at a subsidised cost from August 1.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, the president of DKMUL K.P. Sucharita Shetty said the market rate for a 50 kg bag of cattle feed stood at ₹1,350. Farmers can procure this bag from DKMUL at ₹1,325.

Managing Director D. Vivek said DKMUL provided 2,000 tonnes of silage to farmers at a subsidised rate of ₹6.65 per kg, in April, May and June. “DKMUL spent ₹40 lakh for this purpose. This helped in boosting milk production, which had come down during summer.”

Mr. Vivek said the DKMUL is keen on growing green fodder on the 25 acres of land in Koila offered by Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences. “We have asked the department to handover the land after clearing Acacia trees, which were planted by Social Forestry Division of the Forest Department,” he said.

Mr. Shetty said the DKMUL will purchase five acres of land, in addition to 10 acres allotted by the State government in Puttur. The DKMUL has planned to start a new facility on this 15 acres of land.

Mr. Shetty said that with a total business of ₹1,108 crore, DKMUL earned a net profit of ₹8.29 crore during 2023-24. The average daily milk procurement in 2023-24 was at 3.91 lakh litres and it has come down to 3.59 lakh in this July.

Farmers are being paid ₹36 per a litre of milk for selling it to DKMUL. The union has paid farmers ₹19 crore under the milk production scheme and ₹38.2 lakh as incentive for fodder and silage production, in 2023-24. It has also paid ₹3.27 crore as insurance premium for 40,000 cows. The government has paid ₹72.49 crore as incentive to farmers at the rate of ₹5 per litre in 2023-24, he said.