The district is well-known for its quality sweetmeat products in the southern region. But the famous sweetmeat industry is facing serious setback due to scarcity of milk for the last few years.
A random survey shows there are over 700 sweetmeat shops in the four upazilas and four municipalities of the district.
Everyday the shops need 10,000 litre milk. But now there are only 30-40 dairy farms in the district and theses farms cannot meet up the demand.
According to sources, milk production is declining both in dairies and homesteads under four upazilas of the district as the farmers cannot collect sufficient fodder for their cattle.
Reduction in pasture and open fields for raising cattle has decreased the milk production.
Sweets like rosgolla, roshmalai, sandesh, ganga rosgolla, chhana jilapy, mohonvog, komlavog, danadar, kata rosgolla, kata vog, gurer sandesh, curd and others attract consumers from different districts of the country. But, the shortage of milk is hampering production of such delicious sweets according to their traditional standard, sources said.
Sweetmeat traders Naresh, Madhab Mondal, Haran Ghosh and Nakul Kumar said the quantity of cow’s milk declined to a great extent in recent years.
Their views have also been echoed by several milk producers and suppliers in the district.
Milk sells at Tk65 to Tk70 per litre in local markets. Some traders, who buy milk every day, alleged that they do not get pure milk most of the times.
Around 30 per cent of the milk is found contaminated with river water, said sweetmeat trader Zibon Roy of Dodhi Vandar in Madaripur Puran Bazar area.
As a result, the traders cannot run their business for want of pure milk.
Meanwhile, several affected consumers opined that frequent mobile court drives are needed to curb adulteration of milk and sweets in the local shops.
During Eid, Puja and other festivals, they face serious crisis of milk. Most of the customers have to go back disappointed after moving from one shop to another for a packet of quality sweets, said many sweetmeat traders.
Abdur Razzak Khan, agriculture officer of the district, said arable land had decreased rapidly causing fodder crisis.
Steps should be taken to save the sweetmeat industry by cultivating grasses for cattle, he added.
Livestock officer Tarun Kumar Roy said: “To save the sweetmeat industry, number of dairy-farm should be increased by providing job among the youths.
