Trade4go Summary
India, with the world's largest bovine herd, leads as the top milk producer, but faces challenges in maximizing milk yields, according to a USDA GAIN report. The report highlights two key factors impeding India's milk production potential:
1. Feed and fodder shortages: India is grappling with a significant deficit in green fodder, dry fodder, and concentrate feed ingredients, which is expected to worsen. This deficit, along with intense heat before the monsoon season, further increases milk production costs and inefficiencies.
2. Low genetic potential of cattle: The majority of India's dairy cows are indigenous and non-descript, which results in lower milk yields compared to crossbreds and exotic cattle, which only make up 39% of the total.
Despite these challenges, India's milk production is concentrated in states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Adhara Pradesh. Milk collection for the national supply is primarily handled by dairy cooperative societies and private milk companies.
Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by a state-of-the-art LLM model and is intended for informational purposes only. It is recommended that readers refer to the original article for more context.
Original content
India has the largest herd of bovine animals making it the largest milk producer in the world. However, the milk yields continue to be low, despite gradual increase, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report. In addition to vulnerability to climate change, the following factors are suppressing India’s milk production potential: Prolonged feed and fodder shortages: India’s fodder and feed deficit continues to be notable. According to the Government of India, the deficit of green fodder, dry fodder, and concentrate feed ingredients are 11.24%, 23.4%, and 28.9% respectively. Further, the deficit is projected to increase in the future. Such shortages impact milk production and raise the cost of milk production. Additionally the sweltering heat that has hit India prior to the monsoon season exacerbates the fodder and feed shortages in India. Low genetic potential of cattle: Crossbreds and exotic cattle record the ...
