With milk consumption dropping sharply amid COVID-19 lockdown, Jammu and Kashmir government has mooted a proposal to supply milk to Anganwadi centres for its distribution.
The demand for milk has declined as hotels, restaurants, sweet shops catering and roadside tea stalls have closed after the nationwide lockdown. The demand for other dairy products like butter, milk, cheese and ghee has gone up, but sales of ice cream and other milk products have fallen.
Ever since the lockdown, both milk and poultry items have witnessed a decline in consumption largely due to supply and demand issues.
To overcome the crisis, J&K Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) has mooted a proposal to safeguard the interests of the farmers suffering losses due to dip in demand. For this purpose, the department has collaborated with the Social Welfare Department under whose administrative control Anganwadi centres fall.
A senior official told DH that Principal Secretary AHD, Naveen Chowdhary had a discussion with public and private sector milk suppliers in this regard. “During the meeting it was disclosed that household consumption of milk has not gone down, but there is a decline of four to six lakh litres approximately in consumption due to closure of hotels, restaurants, sweet shops, etc,” he said.
“It was decided that the surplus milk would be delivered to Anganwadi centers under mid-day meal and Poshan schemes. Both public and private sector milk processors will supply milk in half litre pouches to the Anganwadi centres for further distribution among the children,” the official added.
The measure will not only mitigate the suffering of milk producers, it will also provide nutritious food to Anganwadi children. The government says that it is difficult to collect exact data of loss in milk and poultry.