The first fodder block making unit at Adaspur in Jagatsinghpur district was made operational in the State recently.
During 2014-15, it was decided for establishment of 4 units of 5 MT per day production capacity each. Under the guidance of F &ARD Commissioner cum Secretary Bishnupada Sethi, steps had been taken to establish the Adaspur unit of Kantapada Block in Balikuda area. The other units will come at Duhuria in Kendrapada district and Mahanga in Cuttack District. The described areas are in milk route of Cuttack Milk Union and the area is famous for producing paddy, sugarcane, vegetables etc.
The raw material for fodder block can easily be made available in these localities. The area is having many milk producing societies where people can be made aware through training and awareness programmes under National livestock Mission to use plant residue for animal feed by making fodder block. Accordingly, the training has already been started for farmers of undivided Cuttack district. The farmers can be benefited to some extent by selling residual part of plants to Cuttack Milk Union. Simultaneously, the farmers can take the benefit of economical animal feed by feeding fodder blocks after preparation.
The fodder blocks can easily be marketed through milk societies after preparation. The fodder block can be procured by State Government to supply during disaster for use as a good, healthy, qualitative, economical feed for animals.
According to sources, Odisha is having 123 lakhs of cattle, 18.18 lakhs sheep, and 72.21 lakhs of goat. The State is facing a shortage of 48.4 per cent green fodder and 23.5 per cent dry fodder.