Kerala's milk production goes south owing to torrid summer

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the summer continues to heat up, the scant availability of green grass has affected milk production in the state. Due to this, Milma, which used to sell about 14.5 lakh litres of milk per day, reported a shortfall of about two lakh litres. This shortfall was made up by purchasing milk from multi-cooperative dairies in Maharashtra.

Out of this, about one and a half lakh litres are delivered to the Thiruvananthapuram region alone, where the daily sales account for 4.75 lakh litres. After milk turned deficient in the Thiruvananthapuram region, a decision was made to bring more milk from the Malabar region. But now, even the Malabar region has witnessed a fall in milk production. At present, the milk stored in Malabar would only be sufficient for the local supply.

Minding the sudden dearth in production, milk was also brought from Nandini, a Karnataka milk federation. After reports came about skin disease spreading across cattle in Karnataka, Kerala took back their dependence and sought help from Maharashtra instead. Nandini has informed that 75,000 litres will be provided to Kerala once production returns to normal in Karnataka. Once this is received, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Malabar regional unions will purchase 25,000 litres each.

• Cows should be given plenty of water during summer

• Cottonseeds and soybeans should be included to increase the fat in the diet

• Cows should be bathed daily and should not be tied up in the sun or left to graze

• Rising temperatures can cause health problems in crossbred cattle