The government is going to take nine projects aiming to develop the country's dairy industry and increase the productivity of dairy cattle, thus boosting milk production as demand grows, officials said.
The Department of Livestock Services has formulated the project proposals and sent those to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock for approval, reports UNB.
"A process is underway to get these projects approved," according to an official document.
The projects are -Strengthening veterinary services in selected upazilas through mobile veterinary clinics and mini diagnostics laboratories, modernisation and capacity building of regional research centres of livestock diseases, setting up of national livestock breeding centres and modernisation of dairy development farms, coordinated livestock development in coastal islands, reproductive disease control of hybrid livestock, coordinated livestock development in greater Faridpur district, identification of external parasite and blood protozoa disease of livestock, coordinated livestock development for poverty alleviation and socio-economic development of poor people in haor areas and modernisation of state-run milk farms.
In fiscal year 2008-09, according to the document, the per capita milk intake in the country was 43.35 ml, which rose to 157.97 ml in 2016-17. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommends 250 ml milk consumption per person a day.
A senior official at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock said the government was serious about the production and supply of protein-related food items.
"That's why, the present government after assuming power in 2009 has taken a number of steps to increase milk production in the country," he said.
He noted that the government in its Vision 2021 placed boosting of milk production on top and undertook a number of projects for that.
The Department of Livestock Services is running artificial breeding activities across the country through 3,750 sub-centres and points.
"As a result, 42 per cent livestock of the country has now turned into hybrid species," the document reveals.
The government has also begun artificial breeding programme expansion and implementation of embryo transfer technology project (3rd Phase), aiming to set up artificial breeding points in all unions across the country.
Under this project, there will be two bull stations-cum-AI Lab, five bull cuff rearing units-cum-mini AI Lab and 1,000 artificial breeding points. "Through this project, the production of semen in the country will be increased for all cows," the document notes.
Besides, the Department of Livestock Services is implementing the 'breed upgradation through progeny test (2nd Phase)' to improve the species of livestock.
It has already produced progeny tested bull (proven bull) and artificial breeding is going on using the semen of this bull.
To improve the species of ox another project is going on in 39 upazilas where improved semen imported from abroad is being used for artificial breeding.
A mixed breed gives 6.5 litres of milk every day while for a local breed it is only 1.5 litre.
According to the available data, every day around 18 million litres of milk are produced in the country. Every year, Bangladesh imports 65-70 thousand metric tonnes of powder milk, equal to 1.7 million litres of liquid milk.
