The dairy farmers of Baleswar district are under financialstrains as they find there are no takers for their milk.The farmers alleged that the Baleswar, Bhadrak Milk United Limited(BAMUL) is not procuring the milk due to the Covid and further, thereis no demand from other private sources.

In the given situation, theyare facing severe financial hardship as they have no other means toeke out livelihood, they alleged.

Recently, a group of milk farmers as a mark of protest to highlighttheir plights in Gopalpur under  Bahanaga block had spilled milk onthe road  demanding intervention  of the Government to protect their livelihoods. According to reports, the BAMUL procures milk from the farmers through societies of both Baleswar and Bhadrak districts and supplies it to Omfed plant at Remuna.

As many as about 50,000 milk farmers of both the districts while have registered their names under societies and through about 400 societies, nearly 70,000 litres of milk is being collected from about 20,000 farmers daily.

The milk chilling plant has a capacity of storing 1.6 lakh litres and about 30,000 litres of milk is being dispatched outside the district.

After collecting milk through the BAMUL, the Omfed supplies the milk and milk products to the market. The Covid-triggered lockdown and shutdown have caused a sharp fall in demand in the want of market intake.

The market has hardly any intake as all the sweetshops and hotels are closed and there are only a few social functions allowed with restrictions.

According to an official of Bamul, as there is a sharp fall of market demand, they are procuring only about 20,000 litres against the previous 70,000.

And more so, they have nearly full capacity of storing milk which is nearly 1.7 lakh litres. Under the circumstances, they may have to stop procuring milk for a day or two as they have no space to preserve it.