Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union has recorded a sharp rise in milk production this season, recovering from last summer’s decline caused by heat stress and fodder shortages.According to union officials, milk production, which stood at 3.3 lakh litres during the previous summer, has risen to 4.2 lakh litres as of April 1, marking an increase of 80,000 to 90,000 litres. The union now expects production to touch 4.8 lakh litres this monsoon season, compared with 4.4 lakh litres during the last monsoon.DKMUL president Raviraja Hegde Kodavoor said the earlier drop in output was largely due to the non-availability of green fodder. This year, however, the shortage has been offset by the availability of silage, helping farmers maintain milk yields despite seasonal challenges.He said the union supplies around 1,800 tonnes of silage every month to farmers at a controlled price. Along with this, DKMUL has also procured and distributed Erode breed cows, which are known for higher milk yield. Officials said these measures have played a key role in boosting production across the region.Despite the increase in local output, the union continues to rely on milk procurement from other districts to meet demand. Hegde said DKMUL currently procures around 1 lakh litres of milk every day from the Hassan, Shivamogga and Mandya unions.Officials also said the ongoing LPG shortage, which has affected hotels and sections of the food and beverage industry, has not significantly impacted the union’s sales so far. While there has been a marginal decline in demand, the overall market remains stable.Hegde said that during the previous Ramzan season, the union sold 5.5 lakh litres of milk and curd, while sales during the current Ramzan period stood at 5.3 lakh litres. Though this reflects a slight dip, officials maintained that the LPG crisis has not caused any major disruption to DKMUL’s business operations.
