High-tech plant for livestock feed to be commissioned by CM

A high-tech plant of Kerala Feeds Ltd(KFL), a state-run livestock feed manufacturer, would be commissioned near here by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on January 5 to meet the demand for dairy and poultry feeds at an affordable price.

KFL would also launch its new KF Kairali and KF Athulyam brands of feed for egg-laying chicken and KF Dairy Rich brand of feed for milch cows.

The500-tonne capacityplant was set up at a cost of Rs 75.75 crore taking into account the findings of the M S Swaminathan Commission that the hill district can meet the demand for milk in the state," KFL chairman K S Indusekharan Nair said at a press conference here on Monday.

With the commissioning of the plant with state-of-the- art Swiss machinery, the total production capacity would rise to 1,750 tonne and cater to the need for cattle feed for Idukki and neighbouring districts, Nair said.

The plant has been set up on the 10-acre land leased out by the state government out of Arikkuzha Agricultural Farm based on the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, said KFL managing director B Sreekumar.

The foundation stone for the plant was laid in 2014. Construction of the 1,350-sq metre godown for finished products and 3,300-sq metre warehouse for raw material has been completed.

The plant would start trial production this month and the government has provided Rs 17.01 crore for setting up the plant.

The project has received Rs 23.25 crore from Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna and Rs 20 crore from NABARD.

State Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development K Raju would preside over the function to commission the plant and launch the products.