Kerala to get dairy village development project

Kochi: Milgram, which has made its mark in dairy farm industry in Kerala, is setting up a dairy village development project in Idukki with the aim of increasing the State’s present milk production.

The Rs 500-crore high tech dairy project, which will be set up with the help of non resident Keralites, will offer milk production of 50,000 litres in phase I.

The project will be inaugurated on Sunday at Mlamala in Vandiperiyar by Mr C. Divakaran, Minister for Civil Supplies and Animal Husbandry. Dr Korah John, Managing Director, Milgram, said at a press meet here that the dairy village development project will include 25,000 farmers and 250 milk collection centres.

He pointed out that Kerala’s total milk production is only 20.63 lakh tonnes and it contributes only 55 per cent of total requirements. Rising production costs and unscientific procurement systems are more harmful to dairy farmers and its development.

He said that the consumption of milk a day is 50 lakh litres in the State and the State is now forced to use milk from other States. Milgram is working to give quality milk products, which are produced locally, to its customers.