Further export ban on cattle feed input

The government may extend its ban on exports of de-oiled rice bran (DORB)—a key ingredient of cattle feed—until March next year to keep milk prices in check, a senior official said.

- Puja Das

The move is likely, despite requests to not extend the export prohibition from oil industry bodies.

DORB, which is derived when crude oil is extracted from rice bran, is commonly used in animal nutrition products catering to cattle, poultry, horse, pet care, aquaculture (aquafeed), and swine industries, with approximately 80% used in cattle feed.

The fear is that higher exports may hit milk supplies in the domestic market, driving prices further up.

All-India average retail milk prices in November went up by 6% to ₹58.4 a litre from ₹55 a litre during the corresponding period last year.