Concern about affordability of milk

The World Milk Day observed every year on June 01 celebrates the wholesome benefits of milk as a food, not just a beverage. No other drink has this nourishing quality. The day is observed to promote cow milk as a most balanced food, particularly for children, whose growth it helps more than any other food. Decades back, people in this part of the world failed to appreciate the special food value of milk and did not feel the need for developing dairies. Even the dedication of a day to milk for celebration worldwide came as late as 2001. This is evidence enough that even the world had earlier failed to recognise the need for promotion of milk and milk products globally.

Of late, though, at least the educated people here have become quite aware of, if not anything else, the consequences of milk deficiency in making bones brittle. Most of them even are familiar with osteoporosis--- decay of bones as a result of calcium deficiency and milk as a rich source of this vital element in bone formation and strengthening.

Notwithstanding the comparatively less popularity of milk as a drink, its diversified products such as butter, ghee (clarified butter), chhana (coagulated milk), whey, curd or yoghurt and cheese are an ample proof that the art of making ingredients or preparing dishes with it has been perfected to a level few nations could do. Particularly, the wide range of sweetmeats prepared from chhana is a specialty that is credited to the Bangalees. Whether such sweets add to the food value to milk is a different issue but some of the specialties credited to a particular location are famous for their delectable tastes.

However, at a time when adulterated chhana has replaced the pure variety, sweetmeats have lost their lustre. The good thing, though, is that milk production has witnessed a phenomenal growth. In the 2012-13 fiscal year (FY), milk production was 5,072,000 tonnes which rose to 13,034,000 tonnes in FY 2021-22. But yet this amount falls short of the country's requirement estimated at 15,668,000 tonnes. The shortfall is met by imported powder milk and a small consignment of ultra heat treatment or ultra high temperature (UHT) liquid milk from abroad.

Now the question is whether cow milk is affordable for the common people in this country. With the dairy industry taking off, several companies now have developed a procurement network for pasteurisation before making one-litre and half-a-litre packets for distribution all across the country. Packaged milk or the type sold openly came under scrutiny when laboratory tests found both containing harmful materials of either biological or chemical origin with their reference to cattle feed. However, when the hullabaloo reached its highest pitch, the sale of packet milk experienced an abrupt drop.

What is intriguing is that without countering the claim or clarifying the issue to the satisfaction of doubters, the controversy was successfully buried. Many switched over to imported powder milk of reputed brands. But this alternative choice has been cut short by the limited or no import of such powder milk due to dollar crunch. Even powder milk has been listed in the category of luxury items.

By the time packet milk has not only regained its lost ground but also gone for marketing in at least three varieties. Now common groceries get supply of the pasteurised standardised and toned varieties. Full cream is supplied to the super shops only. They are yet to make packets of double toned milk. The problem here is that the companies won't tell what they exactly are marketing. Only a few discerning customers know about the differences but the run-of-the-mill just take home milk packets thinking that they are getting what they used to get before. Business ethics certainly takes a beating here because the companies have not come clean on their products.

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