Berhampur: Steps are being taken to increase milk production and number of dairy farmers in Ganjam district.
This was stated by Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallick while addressing a function of the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (OMFED) to identify farmers at the grassroots and involve them in Mukhyamantri Kamdhenu Yojana (MKY) here on Sunday.
The milk procurement in Ganjam is only 7,000 litres to 8,000 litres against the daily demand of about 40,000 litres per day. The demand and supply gap are maintained by importing milk from other districts, according to official sources. Ganjam district is reeling under acute scarcity in milk production and the State government had prepared a micro plan to increase milk production and the number of dairy farmers.
There are 127 Milk Producers’ Cooperative Societies but more than 60 societies have turned defunct in 22 blocks of Ganjam. The OMFED has provided incentives to the farmers to organise them.
Mallick emphasised the need to increase the number of milk farmers in Ganjam for enhancing milk production. He said there is a Milk Processing Plant with 50,000-litre capacity per day at Berhampur and many products including sweetened curd, paneer, khua, chenapoda, flavoured milk and others are being processed which are in great demand. “But we are unable to procure necessary milk to feed the plant,” the minister said.
Fifty dairy farmers were awarded ‘Go ahead letter’ under the MKY.
