That sounds like an easily bridgeable gap but increasing fodder availability and providing animals with environments less discomfortable than the present ones during the summer season seems beyond planners and managers of the sector.
The diary industry, on the other hand, seems equipped to play its role. The dairies coming up during the last about three years have significantly already reduced the import bill. Import of powdered milk cost Rs706 million in 2000-01. As three factories (Halla, Premier and Milac) went into production, an amount of Rs190 million was slashed from the import bill.
Milk factories of Pakistan have the capacity for processing 74 million tons per year but they are working at 27 million tons. The reason is simple: availability of milk is not sufficient for them to work full throttle. Supply of milk considerably dries during the summer season. The graph starts sliding down after April and stays on a downward trend till August. April to August are peak lean period for milk production and that is what the gap of demand and supply comprises.
The figure of 3.5 liters per animal has been worked out by experts of the sector on the basis of 6.4 million kg of imported milk in powder form. According to their calculation, this comes to 7.7 million liters of milk annually, a quantity that can be produced if every milch animal contributes 3.5 liters annually.
Pakistan has a population of 22.7 million buffaloes and 22 million cattle, equally divided between milch animals and young stock. Their annual produce is 25.6 billion liters. On an average, the milk from one animal is around 1,200 liters per animal. Yearly per capita milk consumption comes to 146 liters.
Not all the milk reaches the market; breeders keep about 35 percent for their use for the family’s consumption plus sale in processed form. Furthermore, the animals are milked between Asr and Maghrib prayers when the conventional market for selling milk does not function. The breeders are thus constrained to use the produce themselves.
Disturbing this system would be detrimental to the interests of breeders. Milk animals are virtually lifeline to farmers, specifically small landholders; the prices of most crops are below input costs and the agriculture sector subsidises farming with its animal and poultry resources, specially the former. Animals and birds sustain rural population.
Practically every farmer uses part of the animal’s produce in the manner of wheat crop, a part of which they retain for the family’s consumption for the rest of the year. That cannot be done in the case of milk but it is consumed daily to provide nourishment to the otherwise sparsely fed rural population. Also, milk is an integral component of rural life and culture.
Any change in the present system representing age-old tradition, would be highly undesirable and totally negative. The need is to enhance produce, at least by 3.5 liters per animal in a year. More would mean exportable surplus. The authorities should actually be looking towards that.
But their judgment and sights are misplaced. The Governor of Punjab recently awarded a prize to an owner with a buffalo that delivered 33 liters a day. I checked from people in the milk sector and they said that while such highly productive animals existed, their population was unlikely to be around more than one animal in a division. Majority of the stock was in the 1,200 liters a year milk bracket. The need is to improve their productivity instead of getting excited by a rare animal.
Two factors hamper a better performance from milch animals particularly buffaloes that are comparatively higher yield stock. One: shortage of fodder in summer months and two, keeping them in relatively cool conditions. This does not mean air-conditioned pens but providing the required shade and protection from heat that are conducive to better productivity.
While there is dearth of experts and qualified scientists in agriculture or livestock sectors, Pakistan has not been able to develop a fodder crop in summer months. The scientists approved of ‘elephant grass’ at one stage but it proved disastrous. Its sharp edges are rejected by animals; they are not digestible.
There is no end of governmental plans for promoting the livestock sector but one has not come across any suggestion for helping farmers improve the condition of pens. The sights of officials are at glorious heights; small solutions do not attract their attention.
The issue of the animal’s feed in summer time can however be resolved effectively enough to fill the 3.5 liter gap and even attain better productivity. An important component of feed is khal. That is available the year round but it becomes too expensive for breeders in summer to be purchased. The price of khal is doubled, indeed made costlier in summer by the traders.
The government can create an agency for managing khal, among other agriculture and livestock sector requirements.The Zarai Tarraqiati Bank can in fact step forward to meet the breeder’s needs. It has the means to purchase khal and make arrangements for storing it for sale when green fodder is unavailable.
Khal can provide the required nourishment to animals when there are no fodder crops and grazing around the banks of rivers and canals and along watercourses in villages is virtually ruled out by scorching heat, generally dry conditions and water shortage.
The bank can purchase and store khal and sell it to breeders after adding expenses and a marginal profit to the commodity’s price. Breeders would understand the off-season rates and would purchase the feed if they can afford it. The bank can ensure its affordability for low-resource customers. The ZT bank is best suited for this role because its existing infrastructure facilities are available across the country.
Storage of khal is not a complicated matter calling for extraordinary expertise; farmers do it all the time and the bank should not be lacking in resources to undertake such a programme. But availability of khal at decent rates can do wonders in the sector and quickly enhance Pakistan’s milk produce.