Effective Milk Production Subsidy Program in Baglung
A program that provides subsidies to farmers based on the quantity of milk they produce has become highly effective in Baglung. Farmers who collect and market their milk through cooperatives have received a subsidy of five rupees per liter. In the fiscal year 2081/82, farmers associated with eight milk production cooperatives in Baglung received a total subsidy amount of 37 lakh 32 thousand rupees. Nearly eight hundred farmers have benefited from this subsidy.
Eligibility and Distribution Process
To be eligible for the subsidy, farmers must provide proof of milk sales and be part of a cooperative that trades at least two hundred liters of milk per day. According to the Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Expert Center, which manages the program, this production-based subsidy is one of their most successful and effective initiatives. Farmers who sell their milk directly in the market without using a cooperative are not eligible for the subsidy. Dr. Rishiram Sapkota, the head of the center, stated that the more milk a farmer produces, the higher the subsidy they receive. For the current fiscal year, a budget of 38 lakh rupees has been allocated to provide farmers with a subsidy of five rupees per liter.
Growth in Subsidy Distribution
The program encourages collective marketing of milk through cooperatives, and the amount of subsidy distributed has been increasing annually. In the fiscal year 2078/79, the center distributed subsidies for 4 lakh 20 thousand liters of milk. Last year, this increased to 7 lakh 46 thousand 554 liters, with a total subsidy of 37 lakh 32 thousand 768 rupees distributed. The center estimates it has the capacity to provide subsidies for up to 10 lakh liters of milk.
Current Participation and Criteria
Although 15 production cooperatives in the district collect milk and send it to the Baglung market through the District Cooperative Association, only eight cooperatives currently meet the daily trade requirement of two hundred liters. Therefore, only farmers associated with these eight qualifying cooperatives are receiving the production-based subsidy at the rate of five rupees per liter.
