May 28, 2013

India's state-owned Milkfed sets up four milk plants in Punjab

State-owned Milkfed will set up four mega milk plants worth INR2.5 billion (US$45 million) each in the state of Punjab, which was approved by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The Punjab deputy Chief Minister said that his aim was to make Verka products as a largest selling brand and that could be released only by giving a big push to expansion of Milkfed.

He said that the expansion plan would focus on encouraging dairy sector, setting up organised dairy farms, reorienting procurement of raw milk, scientific collection and chilling chain, ultra-modern milk processing facilities, value addition of milk products and effective marketing network to exploit the brand image of Verka.

Stressing upon the need for strengthening dairy sector from grass root level, Badal also approved a specialised scheme for encouraging women in the dairy sector that would provide subsidised loan to them to set up farms, technical know-how for setting up of dairy farms and support to such units by providing veterinary care and farm feed to dairy entrepreneurs.

Badal  called on S.K Sandhu, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Punjab,to put up a proposal for giving dairy sector equivalent status of agriculture for the purpose of bank credit.

Approving the setting up of four mega milk plants of INR2.5 billion (US$45 million) each in the state, Badal said, "we have to increase the processing capacity four-fold and these plants should be of international standards with ISO 9002 specifications."

Expressing concern over shortage of green fodder especially during summers, Badal said that new diversification plan has a special incentive for the farmers, who would switch over from Paddy or wheat farming to complete fodder farming.