Mangaluru: Farmers in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are showing interest in procuring high-yielding species of cows from Erode in Tamil Nadu to increase milk production. Dakshina Kannada Milk Union Limited (DKMUL) president Raviraj Hegde told reporters that more than 360 cows from Erode were brought in the past 18 months. He said the DKMUL has been extending support to farmers to buy these cows as it will solve the milk shortage in Dakshina Kannada.The average yield of local cows and Jersey varies between 7 to 15 litres per day. However, cows from Erode have the ability to produce an average of 30 litres per day. This will help DK farmers increase milk production, he said.Vivek D, managing director of DKMUL, said that the union facilitates weekly visits to a cattle fair in Erode, every Thursday. “We send officials, including veterinarians who help farmers check the health and productivity of the cows. Meanwhile, DKMUL has been extending financial support towards transportation,” he said, adding that Erode cows cost anywhere between Rs 60,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh.DKMUL former president Sucharitha Shetty said that while the union has a demand of 5.5 to 6 lakh litres of milk every day, the current average collection from the districts is close to 4 lakh litres. The union depends on Hassan, Mysuru, and other districts to fill the gap between demand and supply. The milk production in Dakshina Kannada saw a 16% hike in 2025-26 compared to the previous year. The average milk collection by DKMUL was 3.4 lakh litres per day in 2024-25, Shetty said.To a query, Raviraj Hegde said that the constant support to farmers, better price, and distribution of nutrient-rich fodder led to a 16% increase in milk production in the region.
