Kollam (Kerala), Nov 26 (PTI) Kerala Minister J Chinchurani on Wednesday inaugurated the state-level National Milk Day celebrations organised by Milma.
She also recalled the contributions of Dr Verghese
Kurien, the father of India’s White Revolution, who played a pivotal role in developing the country’s dairy sector and improving the lives of dairy farmers.
Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development said Milma has played a vital role in strengthening the dairy sector in the state, which has seen a sharp increase in milk production and procurement, ensuring a consistent livelihood for dairy farmers over the past 45 years.
National Milk Day coincides with the birth anniversary of Kurien.
“By providing additional incentives, cattle subsidies and other welfare schemes, Milma has always prioritised the welfare of dairy farmers,” the minister said.
In the previous financial year, Milma returned 92.5 per cent of its profits to dairy farmers through welfare schemes and incentives, she added.
Over the years, Milma has grown into a major cooperative organisation with an annual turnover of Rs 4,327 crore.
It procures around 1.25 million litres of milk per day and sells around 1.65 million litres daily.
The organisation recorded a 14 per cent increase in procurement from April to September this year, which Chinchurani described as a “historic achievement.” State Planning Board Vice Chairperson Prof V K Ramachandran called for conferring the Bharat Ratna on Kurien for transforming the country’s cooperative dairy sector.
Delivering the Dr Verghese Kurien Memorial Lecture, Ramachandran said Kurien’s focus on a cooperative credit system enabled even those without capital or land to enter the dairy sector.
Kurien also prioritised professional management and advanced technology to help cooperatives compete with private and corporate players, he said, noting that the model could be applied to other cooperative ventures as well.
In the current context, Ramachandran said it is crucial to strengthen the dairy cooperative sector, improve breed quality and animal health, enhance feed and fodder availability, and ensure better working conditions for women, including greater control over their income.
Milma Chairman K S Mani said the growth of India’s dairy sector was the result of Kurien’s visionary leadership.
Milma has steadily increased its milk procurement and sales over the years, and Kerala has the potential to achieve self-sufficiency in milk production, he added. PTI TGB SSK
