Mumbai, Apr 7 (IANS): Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar has expressed opposition to the Centre's plans to import dairy products like fats, butter and ghee, here on Thursday.

In a letter to Union Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Parshottam Rupala, Pawar said that the proposal would prove detrimental to the interests of the domestic milk industry.

"Any decision by the Central government in this regard will be totally unacceptable because the import of these products will directly affect the income of the domestic milk producers," Pawar stated.

The Centre is toying with the idea of importing ghee-butter as milk production in the country apparently remained 'stagnant' owing to the lumpy skin disease which had hit cattle in many parts of India.

However, in contrast, the demand for milk products had shot up by 8-10 per cent as the country rebounded in the post-pandemic, with lower stocks of fats, ghee, butter compared with the previous year.

The NCP supremo, a former Union Agriculture Minister, pointed out that dairy farmers have recently emerged from the unprecedented two-year long Covid-19 crisis and such a measure will severely impede the sector's steps in the revival process.

"My concern may please be heeded. I shall be happy if the matter is looked into and the ministry deters itself from taking any decision to import the milk products,'' Pawar urged the Minister.