Baripada: Asia’s largest bull breeding centre, the livestock breeding and dairy farm, located on the outskirts of Baripada town in Mayurbhanj district has been a shadow of its former self, thanks to the apathetic attitude of the central and state government.
Earlier it used to be a livestock breeding and dairy farm.
While the rest shed and office building are in ruins, the machinery have been rusting away for want of use. And the entire compound has now taken on a desolate appearance with wanton growth of creepers.
As of now, the centre has been kept alive by selling grass seeds and grass to cattle rearers.
The livestock breeding and dairy farm spreading over 108 acres was established at Kathapal, two kilometres away from Baripada town, in 1983. It has cow sheds, biogas plant, water supply points, four staff quarters and agricultural equipment. Hybrid grass was grown in the rest of the space. Then the farm used to have over 150 cows of several top breeds and used to produce 400 litres of milk a day. However, the livestock breeding was stopped in 2000 and bulls from top breeds of calves were reared. The fully grown-up bulls were then taken to Khapuria in Cuttack district for semen collection. And this project too suffered the same fate, allegedly due to lack of proper management. It was discontinued in 2016.
The farm is presently growing only hybrid grass. With a set target of harvesting grass seeds from 10 acres in Kharif and from eight acres in Rabi seasons, hybrid grass varieties including ‘congo signal’ and ‘super nepier’ are being grown. Annually 10 quintals of seeds are sent to the Director, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services in Cuttack. From there, these seeds are supplied to Balasore, Bhadrak and Keonjhar districts.
“The production of grass is huge but there is no market for it. At the same time, farming equipment, tractors, power tillers, grass cutting machines have long been lying unused. Out of five water supply points, three are now defunct,” informed ASO Jayant Giri.
Even though the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) attempted to restart the project, it wasn’t possible because the type of land couldn’t be altered.
“Taking advantage of the facility not being taken care of and without boundary wall, people have started encroaching upon its land. A fund of Rs 90 lakh received for boundary wall construction is also lying unused. Efforts are on to get back the encroached lands,” informed sub-fodder development officer Basant Mohapatra.
Expressing his concern, Thakura Soren, a farmer, said around 25 to 30 people were engaged at the project when there were cattle. Now they are looking for employment elsewhere.
“Earlier, we would purchase the grass from the Baripada market itself. Now we have to visit the centre to buy the fodder, by spending Rs 50 on fuel,” said Ram Hansda, a farmer.
Local residents urged the government and district administration to take steps to revive the project which has all the elements required for a livestock breeding and dairy farm. “Once restarted, the people of the district will be immensely benefitted,” a local man said.
PNN
