Fodder prices up by 28% in November 2022: Minister tells Lok Sabha

Fodder prices have increased by 28 pc in November compared to the same month last year, the government said on Tuesday.

"Wholesale price index (WPI) data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry, showed that the index value for fodder has recorded at 225.7 in November 2022, registering an increase of 27.66 per cent over the same month last year (176.8)," Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Parshottam Rupala said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

"As such, no severe hardships to rural families whose livelihood are dependent on livestock have been reported by the States, although there is increase in the price of fodder," he added.

The minister informed that the ICAR- Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), Jhansi has estimated that there is deficit of 11.24 per cent, 23.4 per cent and 28.9 per cent in green fodder, dry fodder and concentrates, respectively, at the national level.

"The state governments are primarily responsible for assessing the shortage of fodder, if any, and its impact on the dairy products," Rupala said.

He informed the Lower House that the Centre has not received any report from states on any adverse impact on dairy products.

Rupala said the agriculture ministry has designated the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) as implementing agency under the scheme of Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to form and promote 100 FPOs, primarily fodder centric and animal husbandry activities as a secondary activity.

These "Fodder plus FPOs" would engage in fodder development activities.

Dairy cooperatives and other agencies would be identified as Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) which would facilitate forward linkage for the produce of the FPOs and support them in a sustainable manner.

NDDB has already initiated consultations with stakeholders for identification of the milk unions/federations/ milk producer organisations/government agencies as CBBOs.

So far, 34 organisations have already submitted Letter of Intent (LoI) for formation of 62 FPOs which are being assessed, he said.

"Animal Husbandry being a State subject; it is the primary responsibility of the State Governments to provide fodder to farmers at affordable rates," Rupala noted.

The central government supplements the efforts of the states by implementing various schemes -- 'National Livestock Mission' and Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund' that enable the increased availability of quality fodder at reasonable rates.