10,000 fodder centric FPOs to tackle rising fodder deficit

National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will be setting up and promoting 10,000 fodder-centric Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in order to deal with the issue of fodder deficit in the country.

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National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will be setting up fodder-centric Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in order to deal with the issue of fodder deficit in the country. The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has announced that NDDB will set up 100 such FPOs during 2022-23, under the central scheme “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new FPOs”. 

The order by the Ministry stated, “The competent authority in the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has approved to designate NDDB as implementing agency under the scheme of formation and promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to form and promote FPOs, primarily fodder centric, and animal husbandry activities as a secondary activity (fodder plus model)”. 

A fodder deficit of 12-15%, 25-26% and 36% for green fodder, dry fodder and concentrated fodder, respectively is witnessed in a normal year. Such deficits are largely due to the seasonal and regional factors. However, the current rising trend in fodder deficit is due to the downswing in wheat crop and increasing input costs like diesel.