India not to import any dairy products: Minister Parshottam Rupala
Parshottam Rupala, Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, said on Friday that India will not import dairy products like butter, reported PTI. He added that the growing demand would be met by the huge untapped domestic sector. Notably, his statement comes days after his ministry's senior official stated that stocks of dairy products, especially ghee and butter, were lower than last year.
Lumpy disease behind lower milk production in India: Official
The senior official also said that lumpy disease in cattle and a rebound in post-COVID demand were the reasons for India's lower milk production. To this claim, Rupala replied, "There is no truth in it (shortage of dairy products). No import will take place." "We will manage it properly and there is no need to worry," he added.
Importing dairy products could affect domestic milk producers: Sharad Pawar
As per the official data cited by PTI, the country's milk output in 2021-22 stood at 221 million tons, while it was 208 million tons the previous year. On speculations about imports, Congress leader Sharad Pawar last week wrote a letter to the Centre requesting not to import dairy products, saying it will directly affect the income of the domestic milk producers.
