 "DMF to set up 30 bulk cooler units in 4 districts")
The Dharwad Milk Federation (DMF) has embarked on a mega project to set up 30 Bulk Milk Coolers (BMC) in four districts under its jurisdiction.
DMF president Neelakanth Asuti said here on Thursday, the federation had identified mini milk procuring centres in Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag and Uttar Kannada districts wherein BMCs would be installed.
This project has been taken up to ensure quality of the milk beside providing bacteria-free milk products to consumers.
BMC is a new concept which is being implemented by the Karnataka Milk Federation across the state. As per the research by experts, it was found that due to the delay in reaching the milk to the main milk procuring unit in Dharwad, bacteria content in the milk was on the rise.
Once the milk is procured, it needs to be cooled so that bacteria cannot grow and the nutritional value of the milk is maintained. Hence, BMC units are being installed in various areas and the nearby farmers can directly procure the milk in these units, he added.
He said, the future milk dairies will be BMCs. Apart from this, the DMF has also decided to distribute 100 hand-operated and 100 automated milking machines to farmers. Curd incubators too are being installed in the main branch so that the curd does not turn sour soon, he added.
Asuti said, the DMF is one of the largest milk procuring units in the state and has the capacity to procure over 210,000 litres. At present, the DMF procures an average of 165,000 litres of milk everyday, of which 95,000 litres is directly sold to consumers and the remaining is converted into milk powder and value-added products like pedha, burfi, paneer and other kinds of sweets.
DMF was established 35 years ago and many of its machines, including boilers, coolers were in a bad shape. Now, the government has released Rs 10 core for improving the infrastructure at DMF. Accordingly, the DMF aims at installing multi-fuel boiler to check environment pollution, modernising milk powder unit and cold storage.
He further stated that under the National Krushi Vikas Yojane, Rs 3.50 crore is being utilised for modernising the Sirsi dairy and Rs 3.50 crore is being spent on installation of pasteurisation unit and cream separator unit. Asuti revealed that the DMF has prepared an action plan keeping in view the demand for milk and milk products till 2025.
Accordingly, the DMF will install 99 BMCs within its jurisdiction, besides supplying 2,700 tonnes of fodder to farmers.
A mega milk powder plant which has a capacity to produce 15 tonnes of milk powder would be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore. The action plan would be submitted to the State Government and the Centre demanding the required funds. This apart, the existing milk procuring capacity would be increased to Rs 4.84 lakh litre, he added.
The DMF is aiming to sell 220,000 litres of milk everyday, 26,000 litre curd, and 7,500 kg of pedhas, mysore pak and kaju burfi.
The DMF would soon be introducing shrikhand, basundi, badam burfi and keshar pedha into the domestic market.
With an intention to see that Nandini milk and milk products are available to the customers round the clock, 'Walk-in cold store' would be set up, he noted.