Bhubaneswar, July 2 (IANS) The Orissa State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (OMFED) on Thursday said it aims to double its milk procurement to one million litres per day by 2020.
Its chairman and managing director Bishnupada Sethi said it would also augment marketing of milk from the current five lakh litres per day to 12 lakh litres per day by 2020.
“The move will benefit about three lakh dairy farmers of the state,” he told IANS.
Keeping in view the role to be played by the federation in the improvement of the livelihood of dairy farmers, the state government was extending financial support to it, he said.
The state government has made a proposal to the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to set up a fully automated dairy plant to process five lakh litres of milk per day at Choudwar in Cuttack district. A loan of Rs.285.71 crore has been sought under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund.
IDMC Ltd., a subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), has already prepared a detailed project report for the proposed plant, Sethi said.
The project will be completed within two years. Milk and milk powder and other dairy products will be produced in the plant.
With the introduction of high shelf life products, OMFED will be able to market milk and milk products in Odisha, neighbouring states and even neighbouring countries.
The new plant will help OMFED remain a market leader by way of modernising, processing, packaging and product designing, the OMFED chairman and managing director said.