Milk consumption high in urban areas than rural

Kochi: As the state govt is planning a hike in the price of milk sold by Milma, milk consumption among Keralites is low compared to their counterparts in south India. As per the data of the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, the average monthly milk consumption of a person in rural Kerala stood at just 3.287 litres in 2022-23 whereas urban consumption was marginally higher at 3.487 litres per month.However, by next fiscal, rural people showed a marginal increase in the per capita intake of milk at 3.433 litres per month. In contrast, city dwellers showed a noticeable decline to 3.128 litres per person per month in 2023-24. The data shows that per capita milk consumption in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana remains considerably above Keralites. Officials in Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd, which operates under the trade name Milma, attribute changes in the lifestyle of Keralites to low milk consumption. "The milk intake in Kerala is largely confined to the use of tea and coffee, rather than a staple part of diet. Since Keralites consume more fish and meat than people in other states, consumption of milk is relatively low here. For people in north India, milk and dairy products are staple in their daily food unlike Keralites," said a senior official in Milma.However, officials notice a gradual shift in milk consumption trends in Kerala these days, thanks to people becoming more health conscious. "Earlier, the average per capita consumption was around 100ml per day. Now, it has improved to 235ml per day. Ideally, one should consume 400ml milk per day. The protein source we get from meat and milk is different as the body requires more effort to digest meat compared to milk," said the officer.Incidentally, Kerala is witnessing a sharp rise in paneer consumption, a trend officials attribute to changing demographics, burgeoning migrant population from other states. "There has been over 50% growth in the sale of paneer products of Milma in the recent years. Currently, we sell around 2,300 tonnes of paneer annually compared to around 1,000 tonnes a few years ago. Many who migrated to Kerala, prefer vegetarian diet and rely on paneer for protein source. This has boosted both demand for paneer," said the officer.The dairy development department has started a survey to know the production, demand and consumption pattern of people in Kerala.