Kerala dairy procurement rose by 14%

Milk intake across Kerala’s cooperative system increased by almost 14% between April and September, according to data reported by United News of India. The average daily collection reached 1.21m litres, compared with 1.06m litres during the corresponding six-month period of the previous year.

The increase came as the state’s cattle herd contracted. Census data indicated a fall in total livestock numbers, while average output per animal increased. The source attributed the higher yields to improved nutritional management, better access to cattle feed and selective-breeding programmes.

All three regional cooperative unions recorded higher volumes. The Malabar Regional Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union led collections, taking in more than 683,000 litres a day. The Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram unions also contributed to the overall rise.

Milk from the northern districts supplied liquid-milk retail routes and processing facilities. Those facilities produce cultured dairy products and traditional sweets, alongside other consumer goods.

Daily sales of packaged liquid milk averaged about 1.74m litres during the period. Sales of curd, clarified butterfat and paneer also remained strong, allowing the federation to absorb higher manufacturing costs while continuing procurement payments to farmers.

The cooperative system returned most of its net margins to small-scale producers through price incentives, feed subsidies and veterinary services. The source said these measures supported producer participation despite competition from private milk buyers.

It also reported that feed costs and agricultural wages were continuing to rise across India. Maintaining competitive prices paid at the farm gate was identified in the source as important to local milk self-sufficiency.