The Hindu : Karnataka News : 5,000 buffaloes to be bought from northern States

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Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

5,000 buffaloes to be bought from northern States

Nagesh Prabhu

They will be distributed under the Amrutha scheme

BANGALORE: Although Karnataka ranks second in the production of milk in the cooperative sector, it is facing a shortage of dairy animals, mainly cow and buffalo.

The State has insufficient numbers of these two animals to distribute to beneficiaries under the Amrutha scheme.

In addition, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have been purchasing cows from Karnataka for implementing the Prime Ministers’ Special Package for their farmers. This, officials of the Animal Husbandry Department say, has resulted in a shortage of milch animals in Karnataka.

To overcome this, the State is planning to import cows and buffaloes from neighbouring States and from north India for the Amrutha scheme, the beneficiaries of which are mainly poor women.

Under the scheme, the Government would provide financial assistance to about 40,000 widows, destitute women, Devadasis and poor women to buy cows and buffaloes. A sum of Rs. 20,000 would be given to each beneficiary.

The scheme was first announced by the former Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa, in the State Budget for 2007-08. An initial sum of Rs. 20 crore has been earmarked for the implementation of the scheme.

Department officials told The Hindu on Monday that as there was scarcity of cows and buffaloes in the State, and in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, the State was planning to buy 5,000 buffaloes from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. A large number of buffaloes were available in the north Indian States as many farmers there rear them for dairying. The beneficiaries in the State would be given crossbreed Jersey and Holstein Friesian cows. A Jersey cow gives 25 litres of milk a day while a crossbreed Holstein Friesian cow gives 10 litres to 15 litres of milk a day.

The State has nearly 17 lakh crossbreed cows and 80 lakh indigenous ones. There are 40 lakh buffaloes in the State that produce 30 lakh litres of milk a day. Nearly five lakh litres of milk are sent to other States.

The Animal Husbandry Department, which is implementing a component of the package in six districts, including Belgaum, Chitradurga, Chikmagalur, Kodagu and Hassan, has roped in Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) to purchase cows and buffaloes under the Amrutha scheme.

It has proposed to buy cows from Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh and border areas of Maharashtra as supply was abundant, the officials said.

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