MUMBAI: To tackle the problem of milk shortage, the State government has set up a committee to suggest measures to increase milk production and provide a fair price to milk producers.

The committee will be headed by the dairy development commissioner. The committee comprises nine members from the cooperative and private sector, managing director of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Milk Federation, joint commissioner of Food and Drug Administration, executive director of National Cooperative Development Federation of India and regional director of National Dairy Development Board.

The committee will suggest a road map for the sustainable development of the milk and milk processing sector in the State.

The committee is also expected to advise the government periodically on the state of the milk sector and hold a meeting every two months to take a review and provide an update to the government.

According to the Dairy Development Department officials, the State has a daily milk and milk processing capacity of 2 crore litres of which 70 lakh litres is processed for cheese making. The current situation of the dairy industry is not due to excessive rainfall in Maharashtra, but this is the effect of climatic conditions in the last two years. This year’s prolonged monsoon has washed out agri-corps so there is a shortage of green fodder.

Limited availability of green, nutritious feed and fodder has an adverse effected on the availability and quality of the milk.