Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 16 December 2025
In a significant initiative aimed at enhancing livestock productivity and improving the livelihoods of dairy farmers in remote parts of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, IAS, Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, on Tuesday virtually launched a pilot project for the distribution of “Pashu Pushti Kit” at Nabagram Village in Diglipur Tehsil of North & Middle Andaman.
The “Pashu Pushti Kit” is a specially designed nutritional supplementary kit for dairy animals, conceptualised and implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AH&VS) to address malnutrition-related infertility in cattle—a major constraint affecting milk production in the Islands.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Secretary appreciated the innovative approach adopted by the Department and said that the successful implementation of the pilot project would pave the way for its expansion to all milk-producing villages across the Islands. He also directed that the financial gains resulting from improvements in milk quality and quantity should be passed on directly to the dairy farmers.
The initiative is based on extensive field data generated through 168 mass infertility treatment camps conducted between June and September 2025. Surveys carried out during these camps revealed that malnutrition accounts for nearly 24 per cent of infertility cases among dairy animals in the Islands. The problem was found to be particularly severe in North & Middle Andaman, where 47.75 per cent of infertility cases were linked to nutritional deficiency, compared to 26 per cent in South Andaman.
Out of 4,917 animals examined across 174 villages in North, Middle and South Andaman, as well as Campbell Bay, 1,140 infertility cases were attributed to malnutrition. According to departmental estimates, correcting nutritional deficiencies through targeted interventions could potentially add around 15 lakh litres of milk annually to the Islands’ existing milk production of 17.61 metric tonnes.
Each “Pashu Pushti Kit,” prepared using existing stocks of quality supplements, includes chelated mineral mixture, mineral lick blocks, ayurvedic stomachic and appetite stimulant powder, probiotic or liver tonic, protein extract or calcium supplement, and concentrated feed for mixing. The approximate cost of each kit is ₹210, excluding stock medicines. The kits are expected to help restore fertility in cattle, increase the number of milch animals, and significantly improve both milk yield and quality.
Nabagram Village was selected for the pilot launch due to its remote location, limited access to concentrate feed and nutritional supplements, a sizeable breedable cattle population of around 191 animals, and the presence of 89 farmers supplying milk to ANIIDCO. The existing milk supply mechanism will allow accurate monitoring of the project’s impact through daily milk collection data.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services expressed gratitude to the Chief Secretary for his continued support to livestock development initiatives and reaffirmed its commitment to making dairy farming more remunerative and sustainable for the rural population of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
