Dairy News
Cow-breeding business hit, Dairy farmers issue ultimatum to Punjab government
Tuesday, 02/08/2016
Punjab’s dairy farmers on Monday accused the vigilante “cow protection groups” of hurting the Rs 2,500 crore breeding business, saying their flourishing trade of selling high-yielding cows to other states have shut.
The farmers led by Punjab Progressive Dairy Farmers’ Association also charged the SAD-BJP government with “creating obstacles” like seeking no objection certificates (NOC) to send cows to other States.
“Our trade has received a big setback because of vigilante cow protection groups which are unnecessarily harassing Punjab cow traders in the garb of protecting cows,” association’s president Daljit Singh said.
“Our Rs 2,500-crore industry has almost finished and cow breeding business has come to a standstill,” said Mr. Singh.
Dairy farmers used to have a decent income from cow breeding business as their crossbred fetch Rs 1.25 to Rs 1.50 lakh a cow. “But now we are not even able to get Rs 50,000 as buyers are afraid of entering Punjab,” he claimed.
He presented two dairy farmers from Punjab who were allegedly harassed by “cow protection groups” one month back.
“A false case was registered against them at the behest of a cow protection group,” he said adding that several instances have happened in the past and as a result farmers were now afraid to sell their cows.