Gandaki State government provides grant of Rs 30 million to dairy farmers

KASKI: The Gandaki State government has provided Rs 30 million 906 thousand as grant to the dairy farmers in the fiscal year 2023/24 on the basis of milk production.

The Livestock and Fishery Development Directorate under the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Management stated that it has implemented the production-based Based Incentive Support Programme at 85 local levels in 11 districts of the State.

The State government provided subsidy of Rs 2.50 per litre for the 13,961 metric tonnes milk produced by 64 cooperatives. Directorate’s Director General Dr Prerana Bhattarai said this subsidy is provided only to dairy farmers who sell milk through the cooperatives.

The Gandaki State government had allocated Rs 65.5 million to the Programme last year under the subsidy increment scheme.

Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East) becomes self-dependent on milk

Meanwhile, according to a news report from Madhyabindu (Nawalparasi), Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East) has become self-dependent on milk production.

Milk produced in the district exceeds the demand based on the population of the district and the district has started to supply milk out of the district for sale.

Based on the data of produced milk, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East) has become self-sufficient in milk for the past three years, said Chief of Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Centre, Rishav Guragain.

The district is producing 146 litres of milk for a person annually as the World Health Organisation has determined 91 litres of milk for a person in developing countries, he mentioned.

Based on the milk produced in the district in the fiscal year 2023/24, the district is producing 146 litres of milk for each person.