THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The Kerala government and Punjab government will sign an agreement that will not only help contain the rising air pollution due to stubble burning in the north but also offer the much-needed livestock fodder to the southern state.

Laljit Singh Bhullar, the minister of animal husbandry in Punjab, told his counterpart in Kerala that the state will receive paddy straw for use as livestock feed. He said that Punjab would benefit from the decision by having less paddy straw.
According to a state government statement, dairying is Kerala's principal source of livelihood and provides the primary source of income for lakhs of dairy farmers. Kerala Animal Husbandry Minister J Chinchurani, who was leading a 21-member delegation today, said this.

She said, Kerala is second only to Punjab in terms of milk output, and during the past several years, the high cost of animal feeding has negatively impacted the dairy industry's economic sustainability.
Kerala, being a land-stressed coastal state, doesn't generate adequate roughage that can be used as fodder for cattle, she said.

"A significant number of dairy farmers in our state will gain if the unneeded and undesirable paddy straw is transported to Kerala utilising the Kisan rail project, as declared by the Union government," said Chinchurani. Bhullar called the initiative a "win-win situation" for both states, adding that the Bhagwant Mann government is prepared for full cooperation in the matter and will work out the remaining specifics of the agreement as soon as feasible.

Farmer producer org can transform agriculture: Sanjiv Puri

Farmers protest in a unique way by climbing on the tank, watch this video