KUSHTIA, Dec 31: Milk crisis has hit sweetmeat trade in the district due to fall in milk production in the last few years, both at farm and household levels.
Local sources said disappearance of pastures from chars and rapid construction of various establishments in urban and rural areas have caused the fall in milk production.
Because of grass crisis, most people in the district are losing interest in rearing cattle.
Kushtia has a wide reputation for its beautiful production of sweetmeats. Various kinds of sweets like rosgolla, rosh malai, sandesh, Ganga rosgolla, Jamuna rosgolla, Mohon Vog, Komla Vog, Danadar, kata rosgolla, Kata Vog, gurer sandesh, curd and others attract consumers.
But, shortage of milk is hindering preparation of such delicious sweets up to their traditional standard, sources involved in the industry said.
Production of cow milk has declined to a great extent in all six upazilas of the district in recent years, said veteran sweetmeat traders Ramesh Chandra, Dasharath Das, Ashok Kumar and others. Their views have been echoed by several cattle milk producers and suppliers.
Since last Ramadan, milk sells at Tk 60 or 65 per litre at local milk market in Puran Bazaar of the district town, said some traders who buy milk every day. But, still this milk is not found in pure state most of the time, they alleged.
About 30 per cent of the milk is found contaminated with river water, said sweetmeat trader Ashok Kumar of the town's famous sweetmeat shop "Dodhi Vandar".
Acute shortage of pure cow milk has put the renowned sweetmeat trade into a declining position.
The traders cannot run their business smoothly for want of sufficient quantity of pure cow milk for the last few years. During Eid and other festivals, they face serious crisis of milk.
Most of the customers have to go back disappointed after moving from one shop to another for a packet of quality sweets, said many sweetmeat traders. A random survey shows there are over 700 sweetmeat shops in the six upazilas and five municipalities of the district.
Frequent mobile court is needed to curb adulteration of milk and sweets in the local shops, observed several affected consumers.
