Despite the setbacks suffered by dairy farmers owing to the first and second waves of COVID-19 during the past two years, the Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (ERCMPU) targets selling a record 13 lakh litres of milk, 80,000 kg of curd and 172 tonnes of clarified butter during the Onam season.

ERCMPU chairman John Theruvath claimed here on Thursday that products under the Kerala Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) brand had achieved widespread acceptability for their quality. The reason for the considerable increase in the sale of Milma products was their wide acceptability and reliability, he added.

Milma has also contributed clarified butter to the 80 lakh food kits containing essentials being distributed by the State government as part of the Onam celebrations. Besides, the milk cooperative is also offering a combine of dairy products worth ₹385 at ₹300 as part of the Onam season concessions being extended to people, he added.

The milk cooperative has increased the production of Freedom Peda (milk pedas) for the Independence Day celebrations after their demand saw a considerable increase. Over eight lakh Freedom Pedas are being made available in the Ernakulam region, Mr. Theruvath said.

There are around 46,000 farmers under 930 primary dairy production cooperatives under the Ernakulam region of the milk cooperative, which comprise Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kottayam and Idukki districts . The daily milk supply was around four lakh litres by farmers. The sales had touched around 3.65 lakh litres per day even as the cooperative converted excess into milk powder and value-added products from milk.

Source : The Hindu Aug 19 2021