Anantnag district has surpassed Pulwama district in milk production, earning the ‘New Anand of Kashmir’ title.
Anantnag is presently producing 7.29 lakh litres of milk per day. Officials said the annual milk production in the district is approximately 266.35 thousand tonnes, surpassing Pulwama, which has an annual milk production of 262.95 thousand tonnes.
Other districts reported varying levels of milk production, with Budgam at 240.70 thousand tonnes, Baramulla at 199.85 thousand tonnes, Kulgam at 161 thousand tonnes, Kupwara at 153.95 thousand tonnes, Bandipora at 119.98 thousand tonnes and Srinagar at 100.410 thousand tonnes.
Ganderbal and Shopian recorded the lowest milk production, with 96.37 thousand tonnes and 72.96 thousand tonnes annually, respectively.
Chief Animal Husbandry Officer (CAHO), Anantnag, Javid Mohi ud Din Zargar, attributed the success to the Integrated Diary Scheme (IDS), which has improved the economic conditions of livestock holders. He said a subsidy of Rs 1,17,00,000 was disbursed among 221 beneficiaries for the first three quarters of the current financial year.
“The new units not only contributed to increased milk production but also generated employment for local youth and promoted organic farming,” he said.
Officials from the animal husbandry department in the district said Anantnag’s farmers have adopted modern techniques, including advanced breeding methods and improved nutrition for dairy cattle.
These efforts have led to higher milk yields per cow, contributing to the overall growth in production, they said. “Government schemes supporting the dairy industry, such as subsidies on cattle feed, veterinary services and financial assistance for infrastructure development have played a pivotal role in encouraging farmers to invest in their dairy operations,” they added. (KNO)