Govt eyes to double J&K’s milk production by 2024

In an attempt to make state self sufficient in milk production and provide livelihood to people, J&K Government is eyeing to double the milk production of the state by 2024. 

Principal Secretary, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department,Asghar Hassan Samoon said this on Wednesday during the annual general meeting(AGM) of Jammu & Kashmir Milk Producers’ Cooperative Limited (JKMPCL).

   

Besides hundreds of farmers, the 15th Annual General Meetingof JKMPCL was also attended by Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative MilkMarketing Federation Limited (Amul), RS Sodhi, chairman JKMPCL board, AshokKumar Angurana, Mission Director J&K State Rural Livelihoods Mission, AbdulRasheed War.

Around 400 secretaries of Village Dairy Cooperative Societiesfrom Jammu & Kashmir participated in the event.

Farmers associated with JKMPCL at the occasion alsoreiterated their resolve for doubling the production in the state. Samoontalked about importance of bringing new reforms to reach the goal of doubling milkproduction in the state.

“In order to achieve our goal by next 5 years, we willbe going for breed improvement and introduction of new breeds of livestock. Ourdepartment is also planning to set up new diaries to reach the goal,”AsgarSamoon said.

“There is need of training and better facilities forfarmers so that they benefit from their business. Our department is alreadyperforming lakhs of artificial inseminations and more is needed to be done inthat regard,” he said, adding, that government will give all possible helpincluding hundred percent health cover to livestock of farmers.

While talking to Greater Kashmir on the side lines of event,MD Amul appreciated the work and growth of farmers through their collaborationwith JKMPCL and Amul.

“Amul will be there to give training and marketingguidelines to farmers of Kashmir. We will make sure to provide a good businessmodel to farmers so that they can get a good price for their work,” Sodhisaid.

“Around 20,000 farmers are working together under JKMPCLwhich is a huge number. We will increase collection of milk by giving a goodprice to farmers and by exploiting villages which are not properly utilisedtill now,” he said.

Chairman JKMPCL while addressing the general body dwelledupon the achievement and goals of JKMPCL.

“When we met the last time, Dairy Industry was goingthrough turbulence due to bad international market. We have overcome all thesechallenges and set a path for profitable growth of JKMPCL,” Angurana said

“Due to modernization of the manufacturing facilities,we have been able to start packing of pouch milk under the brand name of  “Amul” in Jammu from last year.  The retailmarket of pouch milk touched around 12000 litres per day and gaining confidencein the market in Jammu region,” he added

He said that during the year 2018 – 2019, JKMPCL hasprocured 101.85 lakh kilograms of milk from 19 milk routes covering 270Village-level Milk Producer’s Cooperative Societies in the Kashmir region and21 milk routes covering 240 Village-level Milk Producer’s Cooperative Societiesin the Jammu region while paying ?2910.41Lakh as price for milk. Chairmanfurther expressed that JKMPCL envisages becoming Rs 200 croreorganisations bythe year 2025.

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