**Executive Summary**
This document pertains to Starred Question No. 150 in Lok Sabha regarding fodder deficit, to be answered on February 10th, 2026. It details the Government of India's initiatives, under the National Livestock Mission (NLM) and other programs, to address fodder production and availability across the country, including subsidies, technological interventions, and state-level task forces. Key actions include enhanced seed production, promoting fodder entrepreneurship, and utilizing non-arable land for fodder cultivation.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Livestock Mission (NLM) Initiatives:**
* **Assistance for Quality Fodder Seeds Production:** Provides financial incentives for producing Breeder, Foundation, and Certified seeds (up to Rs.250, 150 and 100 Rs/kg). 141194.60 tonnes of quality fodder seed have been produced, with a release of Rs.864.61 crores.
* **Entrepreneurship in Feed and Fodder:** Offers a 50% subsidy (up to Rs. 50 lakh) for establishing infrastructure like Hay/Silage/Total Mixed Ration (TMR) blocks and setting up processing/grading units. 129 projects have been approved with a project cost of Rs.120.62 crores and approved subsidy of Rs. 52.86 crores.
* **Fodder Production Expansion:** Introduced two components under NLM: fodder production from Non-forest wasteland/rangeland/non-arable land and fodder production from degraded forest lands (March 2024).
* **Fodder -Centric FPOs:** Supports 100 dedicated Fodder Plus Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) through the National Dairy Development Board.
* **Other Government Initiatives:**
* **Technological Interventions:** The Indian Council of Agricultural Research- Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) Jhansi has developed state-specific fodder plans for 28 States and one UT. States/UTs have been advised to prepare their Fodder Resource Development Plans accordingly.
* **Creation of Task Force:** All States and Union Territories have been requested to establish fodder task forces to increase fodder cultivation areas.
* **Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF):** Incentivizes investments in animal feed plants with a 3% interest subvention; 204 plants approved with Rs.3973 crores investment.
* **State-Level Actions (Kerala):**
* Kerala is providing subsidized green fodder, silage, hay, and Total Mixed Ration (TMR) to dairy farmers.
* Kerala is allocating an annual budget of Rs. 8.5 crore for fodder cultivation through the Dairy Development Department.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** State Governments
**Impact:** Efforts by State Governments to increase fodder availability are supplemented.
**Action Required:** Implement and align with national initiatives to enhance fodder production.
**Stakeholder:** Dairy Farmers
**Impact:** Reduced fodder costs through government subsidies. Increased productivity.
**Action Required:** Avail subsidies for fodder production, adoption of technology.
**Stakeholder:** Entrepreneurs in Feed and Fodder
**Impact:** Opportunity to establish fodder-related infrastructure with financial assistance.
**Action Required:** Establish infrastructure using subsidy for fodder units
**Stakeholder:** Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
**Impact:** Implementation of state-specific fodder plans.
**Action Required:** Continue research and development of area-specific fodder strategies.
**Stakeholder:** States and Union Territories
**Impact:** Increased fodder availability.
**Action Required:** Establish fodder task forces to increase cultivation areas and converge state/central schemes.
Key Entities Referenced
National Livestock Mission (NLM): A restructured mission aiming to enhance quality seed production, promote fodder entrepreneurship, and utilize non-arable land for fodder.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying: The central ministry responsible for addressing the fodder deficit and implementing relevant schemes.
Fodder Plus Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs): Farmer organizations promoted to boost local fodder production and supply under the Central Sector Scheme.
Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) Jhansi: Institute that developed state-specific fodder plans to overcome the deficiency of green and dry fodder.
Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF): A fund that incentivizes investments in infrastructure activities, including animal feed plants.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 150
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10TH FEBRUARY, 2026
FODDER DEFICIT
*150 SMT. PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA:
Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has a long-term plan to address the persistent fodder deficit in
the country, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of fodder production and deficit during the last five years, State-wise;
(c) whether the Government has assessed the impact of rising fodder cost on dairy farmers,
especially in Kerala and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to provide subsidies to farmers to help meet the
rising cost of fodder and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
मत्स्यपालन, पशुपालन और डेयरी मंत्री
(SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 150 PUT IN BY SMT. PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA ON
“FODDER DEFICIT” DUE FOR ANSWER ON 10TH FEBRUARY, 2026
(a) to (d). To supplement the efforts of the State Governments for increasing availability
of fodder, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, through the
restructured National Livestock Mission (NLM), aims to enhance quality seed production,
promote fodder entrepreneurship and utilize non-arable land through the following activities :
i) Assistance for Quality Fodder Seeds Production:The main objectives are to establish
effective seed production chain and capacity building of State functionaries and livestock
owners in forage production, conservation and utilization. Under the activity, the Government
provides financial incentives for producing Breeder,Foundation, and Certified seeds (up to
Rs.250,150 and 100 Rs/kg) thereby strengthening fodder seed chain. Under this, 141194.60
tonnes of quality fodder seed (53.00 tons breeder, 6230 tons foundation and 134910 tonnes of
certified) of Guar, Maize, Sorghum, Cowpea, Pearl millet, Oat, Berseem and Lucerne have
been produced during 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25,for which an amount of
Rs.864.61 crores have been released.
ii) Entrepreneurship in feed and fodder: The main objectives are to develop
Entrepreneurship in the field of Feed and fodder and to make available quality fodder with
affordable price at the local level. A 50% subsidy (up to Rs. 50 lakh) is offered for establishing
infrastructure like Hay/Silage/Total Mixed Ration (TMR) blocks and setting up
processing/grading units. Under this, 129 projects have been approved with a project cost of
Rs.120.62 crores and approved subsidy of Rs. 52.86 crores.
iii) Fodder Production Expansion: In order to increase the area under fodder cultivation, the
Government of India has introduced two components under National Livestock Mission viz.,
Fodder production from Non-forest wasteland/rangeland/non-arable land and Fodder
Production from degraded Forest lands in March 2024.
iv) Fodder -Centric FPOs: 100 dedicated Fodder Plus Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
promoted by the National Dairy Development Board to boost local production and supply
under Central Sector Scheme “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer
Organisations (FPOs)” are supported for various activities under the National Livestock
Mission.
v)Technological Interventions: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research- Indian
Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) Jhansi has developed State-specific fodder
plans for 28 States and one UT, which include an area-specific strategy to be adopted to
overcome the deficiency of green and dry fodder of the region. The States/UTs have been
advised to prepare their Fodder Resource Development Plans accordingly.
vi) Creation of Task force in the States/UTs:The Department of Animal Husbandry and
Dairying, GoI has requested all the States and Union Territories to establish fodder task force
to increase the fodder cultivation areas and convergence of other schemes of the States and
Central Government. These efforts will increase the fodder availability in the respective States
and Union Territories.vii) Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund: The Animal Husbandry
Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) incentivizes investments by individual
entrepreneurs, private companies, MSME, Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs), Section
8 companies and Dairy Cooperatives to establish various infrastructure activities including
animal feed plants with 3% interest subvention, under which 204 Animal Feed Plants have
been approved with a capacity of 146 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT) per year and investment of
Rs.3973 crores.
The State-wise fodder production and deficit, as provided by Indian Council of Agricultural
Research - Indian Grassland Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi, is given in annexure.
As per the information received from the Government of Kerala, the State has taken all possible
measures to reduce the cost of milk production by providing subsidized green fodder, silage,
hay and Total Mixed Ration (TMR) and also fodder slips to dairy farmers.The Government of
Kerala is allocating annual budget of Rs. 8.5 crore for fodder cultivation through Dairy
Development Department and Rs. 200.00 lakh under State Plan as Kudumbasree linked forage
and establishment of fodder demonstration units.
****Annexure
Annexure in reference to Reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No.150
due for 10.02.2026
In ‘000 tonnes
State/ UT Total Green Total Green Percent Percent Deficit
Fodder Fodder Availability (-)/ Surplus (+)
Availability Requirement
A & N Island 115.4 144.1 80.1 -19.90
Chandigarh 1.9 87.4 2.1 -97.90
Dadra & Nagar Haveli 26.2 101.2 25.9 -74.10
Daman & Diu 2.1 6.6 32.5 -67.50
Lakshadweep 2.4 23.2 10.5 -89.50
NCT of Delhi 167.4 869.5 19.3 -80.70
Puducherry 18.8 170.9 11 -89.00
Arunachal Pradesh 1634.8 1387.8 117.8 17.80
Assam 17988.1 22735.7 79.1 -20.90
Manipur 445.4 759.4 58.6 -41.40
Meghalaya 1037.6 1873.7 55.4 -44.60
Mizoram 272.8 97.3 280.3 180.30
Nagaland 577.6 692.6 83.4 -16.60
Tripura 805.2 1916.1 42 -58.00
Sikkim 190.1 369.6 51.5 -48.50
Himachal Pradesh 12060.6 8383.3 143.9 43.90
Jammu & Kashmir 5261.2 11194.4 47 -53.00
Uttarakhand 3819.2 8580.3 44.5 -55.50
Bihar 35399.1 49406.6 71.6 -28.40
Jharkhand 7856.8 24358.6 32.3 -67.70
Odisha 15277.7 27700.6 55.2 -44.80
West Bengal 22211.7 35915.8 61.8 -38.20
Gujarat 60720.3 58371.6 104.00 4.00
Rajasthan 54504.3 80980.5 67.3 -32.70
Goa 163.2 248.1 65.8 -34.20
Maharashtra 69700 57992.1 120.2 20.20
Haryana 46841.1 24074.5 194.6 94.60
Punjab 67234.08 24873.3 270.3 170.30
Chhattisgarh 16339 24430.8 66.9 -33.10
Madhya Pradesh 99184.5 67264.6 147.5 47.50
Uttar Pradesh 114499.5 149959.2 76.4 -23.60
Andhra Pradesh 26628.8 71799.5 37.1 -62.90
Karnataka 31879.9 38959.3 81.8 -18.20
Kerala 3591.6 3761.3 95.5 -4.50
Tamil Nadu 17735.4 27699.8 64 -36.00