Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar has directed the Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Department to make modifications in various schemes to impart greater focus on fodder production.

In the meeting of Parliamentary Consultative Committee of his Ministry in New Delhi today, Mr. Pawar directed the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutions to fast track their research programmes relating to feed and fodder.

He said, to achieve milk production of 160 million tonnes by the year 2020, huge quantity of fodder will be required. The Minister also called for alternative approaches to increase availability of fodder.

He said that deficient rains,especially in Maharashtra and Karnataka, have resulted in shortage of fodder in these states.