SHILLONG: For a state which has a litany of botched projects, either dead or gasping for breath, one project that is an exception is the Indo-Danish Cattle Project.
Created in 1974 by the state’s first government, some may call it a magnificent among ciphers, but the project has been holding its own. It produces about 600 litres of pure and pasteurised milk daily, breeds over 100 calves annually and sells some male calves to local buyers earning some Rs 70 lakh annually. More importantly, it acts as a stimulus for the local farmers.
Brainchild of the then Veterinary Minister SDD Nichols-Roy, under the project, Danish bulls were imported for cross breeding with local variety for better yield of milk.
That after nearly five decades, the project has been at it, is in itself something to write home about. Although there are 135 cows today, the daily yield is between 550 and 600 litres. Many of the cows being pregnant, milk production is somewhat modest. But this is more than made up by the purity and taste.
According to assistant director of Indo-Danish Project, AKN Lamare, there are steady number of customers who come from far and near to collect milk from the farm at Upper Shillong.
“They patronise us because the quality of milk is good”, he said. The milk from the farm ensures to maintain 3.5 per cent fat and 8.5 per cent SNF (Solids not Fat).
For customers who want a taste of the milk, they can directly visit the Project’s outlet in Upper Shillong. The milk is sold at 8 am and 4:30 in the evening. Priced at Rs 42 per litre, it is about the lowest in town.
For the Indo-Danish project, customers are a priority. After the milk is sold to customers, about 200 litres of pasteurised milk is ferried to the Central Dairy, Mawlai Mawiong by the Nongpiur Milk Producers’ Cooperative Society.
Revenue collection
Lamare said the revenue generation by way of sale of milk in 2019-20 was more than Rs 73 lakh although it would fluctuate depending on the stages of pregnancy of cows.
On the other hand, there are 72 cross-bred calves produced in 2019-20. Annual production of calves is around 70. Some revenue is also generated from sale of calves which is not substantial.
Lockdown effect
Asked, Lamare said that there was lockdown effect in the initial stage as there were no customers and to prevent wastage, the milk was converted to cream. Converting milk to cream proved to be uneconomical.
To convert milk into one litre of cream, we require 15 litres of milk which costs Rs 630. After the milk is converted into cream, it is sold at Rs 270 per kg. This is a loss”, he said.
Early history
Initially for setting it up, the Danish people came to the state to provide us the technical knowhow and brought along herd of 60 pure-breed Holstein Freisans heifers and 60 pure-breed Jerseys Heifers. “After 10 years, they handed over the project to us and we have been operating it since then”, Lamare said. “The Project has benefitted the local farmers and milk societies who procure hybrid cows and calves to increase their milk productivity”, he said.