Milma plans powder plant in Malabar

Milma plans to set up a milk powder plant in the Malabar region, where Kerala's milkman is struggling to cope with an overflow of milk.

The general body of the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma), which met at Palakkad recently, accepted a proposal in this regard.

The federation is exploring all aspects of the proposal, including its economic feasibility, sources said.

Confirming the move, Milma chairman P T Gopalakurup told Business Standard that the proposal would be forwarded to the state government for further steps. "We hope to get the scheme included in the 11th plan," he said.

Presently, Milma has a powder plant at Alpuzha. The proposed Malabar plant is likely to come up either in Wayand or Palakkad.

Milk procurement in the Malabar region registered 13 percent growth in 2005-06 compared to 2004-05. On the sales front, the growth figure in the last fiscal was five percent only.