Coronavirus Outbreak: NDDB asks dairy co-ops to ensure continued milk, products supply

New Delhi: The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) on Wednesday appealed all dairy cooperatives to take adequate measures to ensure the continued supply of milk and its products amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Anand-headquartered national dairy board has asked dairy cooperatives to make suitable arrangements for ensuring uninterrupted collection, chilling, transportation and processing of milk and availability of fodder in villages.

“In view of the present COVID 19 pandemic, NDDB has made an appeal to all dairy cooperatives across the country to take essential measures for the continued supply of milk and milk products so as to avoid situations of panic buying by consumers," NDDB Chairman Dilip Rath said in a statement.

In case of any difficulty in maintaining the dairy supply chain, the concerned dairy cooperatives are advised to contact the local authorities, he said.

The lockdown measures may dry up majority of income sources for the people in rural areas. Hence, milk business may prove to be the only economic lifeline for millions of rural dairy farmers, the NDDB said.

Dairy and milk booths, as well as cold storage and warehousing services, are permitted. Transportation and other logistics services with respect to the above are also exempted.

Dairy cooperatives account for the bulk of the organised liquid milk supply to consumers in the country.