Priyanka Gandhi meets Kerala dairy farmers, highlights sector challenges & seeks solutions

Kodenchery(Kerala): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi visited a dairy farm in Kodenchery, Kozhikode, engaging with local farmers to understand the challenges affecting the sector, on Tuesday.

During her visit, she came across a cow named Alia Bhatt, prompting a light-hearted apology to the Bollywood actor on social media.

In a post on X, Priyanka highlighted the economic difficulties facing dairy farmers, pointing to rising veterinary medicine costs, inadequate insurance coverage, and limited access to quality cattle feed as major concerns. “Unfortunately, dairy farmers are struggling with multiple difficulties, and many are unable to make ends meet. I intend to write to the concerned ministry to apprise them of the many issues they face, including the increased cost of veterinary medicines, lack of adequate insurance coverage and difficulty in accessing good quality cattle feed."

She thanked the farmers for their candid discussions and pledged to advocate for their welfare, stating, “I will do whatever I can to help.”

The visit comes amid growing worries over the sustainability of small-scale dairy farming in Kerala, where input costs have surged and support mechanisms remain insufficient. Priyanka’s outreach is part of her broader engagement with grassroots communities in her Wayanad constituency.

Last week, following the Centre’s approval of Rs 260.56 crore, far short of the Rs 2,221 crore requested by the Kerala government for rebuilding landslide-hit Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi criticised the decision, saying the relief fell short. On X, she wrote, “The people of Wayanad faced a devastating tragedy that demanded compassion, fairness, and urgent relief. Kerala requested ₹2221 crore to rebuild lives after the landslide, but the Central government sanctioned only ₹260 crore, a fraction of what was needed. The people of Wayanad, who lost homes, livelihoods, and loved ones, had hoped for meaningful assistance, especially after the Prime Minister’s visit. What they received instead was neglect. Relief and rehabilitation must rise above politics. Human suffering cannot be treated as a political opportunity, and the people of Wayanad deserve nothing less than justice, support, and dignity.”

Earlier, on October 1, more than a year after the devastating landslides struck Wayanad, the Centre sanctioned its first dedicated financial assistance for the district’s reconstruction.

IANS