Animal Husbandry Deptt Focuses On Chilika Buffalo Conservation, Farmers' Interest
Puri, May 8: A Chilika farmers’ meeting, organized by the 'Sampark' organisation at Brahmagiri in Puri district, focused on the conservation and promotion of the Chilika buffalo, an indigenous breed thriving in both salty and fresh waters of Chilika Lake.
Various stakeholders, including the Director of Animal Husbandry and the Managing Director of OMFED, Vijay Amruta Kulange, attended the meeting.
Vijay Amruta Kulange inquired about the problems of the buffalo farmers. He suggested the formation of a cooperative society to ensure fair market prices for Chilika Maanshi milk. The Chief Executive Officer of OLRDS, Hadibandhu Bhoi, was also present and interacted with the farmers.
They assured the farmers of immediate assistance under the NREGA scheme. With OMFED’s support, Bulck Milling Chilling units will soon be established at Satapada, Manikapatna, Kurupal, Kruushnaprasadgarh, Maluda, and Gambhari in the Brahmagiri-Kruushnaprasad area. He also promised that regular milk production will be documented, and high-yielding buffaloes will receive special incentives. Additionally, he proposed the rotation of male buffaloes (Pandas) among herds for breed conservation.
Further assistance was pledged for digging ponds in various panchayats under different government schemes. In the initial phase, milk collection centers will be set up in Satapada, Manikapatna, Kurupal, Kruushnaprasadgarh, Maluda, and Gambhari.
The collected Chilika buffalo milk will be sold at affordable prices through OMFED. Products like Gheee and Khua will also be made from this milk.
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✨Various schemes are being prepared with the support of both State and Central governments for the conservation and promotion of the Chilika buffalo.
Farmers and stakeholders presented their views.
Prominent buffalo farmers including Upendra Jena, Pintu Behera, Tulu Majhi, Prasanna Kumar Tarai, Kaluram Khuntia, Vichitra Jena, and Bapi Pradhan attended the program.
GM Pumul Tapas Das, District Chief Veterinary Officer Sarat Chandra Behera, Dr. Rajesh Panigrahi, Dr. Sudasat Patnaik, Dr. Biswajit Behera, and Dr. Guru Prasanna Sahu were also prominently present.
This meeting was held under the coordination of Saumendra Das, General Secretary of Samprak Organisation.
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