Andhra Pradesh

Making strides in milk production

Milk producers waiting for their turn at a collecting point at Pedakadimi in West Godavari district.

PEDAKADIMI (WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT): Tucked away in Pedavegi mandal of West Godavari district, this upland village emerges as a model village in the dairy industry. As the day breaks, the otherwise sleepy village becomes hyperactive activity with people lining up before the collecting points for sale of milk. It’s the preferred destination for private dairies and a large number of cycle vendors who fan out into different places for milk collection. As many as five private dairies, including the neighbouring Krishna District Milk Producers Cooperative Union (KDMCPU), are active in collecting milk at the village.

This habitation with 3,500 buffalos, all graded murrah, is the principal source of milk production, and, for 90 per cent of the 600 households, milk production is the main income-generating activity. At a time when the district administration got its act together for increase of milk procurement in a bid to meet the increasing demand in the current ‘lean season’ by offering more price by Rs. 2 per litre, a huge quantum of 3200-3500 litres of milk is produced in this village alone. Even as the administration took over most of the milk collecting routes from the KDMCPU and handed them over to the State-run Andhra Pradesh Dairy Development Cooperative Federation, this village continues its association with the KDMCPU.

Guided by B.H.P. Venkata Rao, junior veterinary officer, the milk farmers have developed six community fodder plots with improved varieties, each supplying fodder to 20-30 milk farmers. And, the water tank abutting the habitation seemingly comes handy for buffalos for wallowing.

Challagulla Rajanikumari attributes her children’s success in education to her five buffalos which produce nine litres per day.

“One of my daughters completed her graduation in commerce and another girl is doing her final B.Sc. mainly because of our supplementary income generated through milk production,” Rajani Kumari has told The Hindu.

Like Ms. Rajani Kumari, a good number of parents seemingly prefer the city-based corporate schools for admission of their children to the local public school and the Zilla Parishad High School because of their increased economic strength that comes through milk production.

“It’s the milk production which is only our assured income.

There is no guarantee for us to reap our crops due to the nature’s vagaries like drought and floods.

And, even if we reap the crop at times, that would go into repayment of our bank loans,” says Ch. Sitarama Swamy.

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