Andhra Pradesh: Amul to collect milk from November 20

Amaravati: AP-Amul will begin procurement of milk in Prakasam, Chittoor and Kadapa districts from November 20 under a new initiative launched by the state government recently.

Nearly 5.6 lakh women, who were provided with financial assistance under YSR Cheyutha, had come forward for setting up of mini dairies in villages and the government had supplied cattle to those women. Additional 22 lakh litre milk production is estimated through mini dairies.

The state will be spending Rs 1,362 crore for infrastructure development by setting up Bulk Milk Cooling Units and Milk Collection Centres in Rythu Bharosa Kendras. The project will be implemented in a phased manner and in the first phase, 7,121 Milk Collection Centres and 2,774 BMCUs will be set up.

A total of 3,639 and 3,486 BMCUs (Bulk Milk Cooling Centres) will be started in the second and third phases along with additional Milk Collection Centres. The state government also proposes to develop RBKs into Milk Potential RBK.

The state government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the milk cooperative giant AMUL (Anand Milk Union Limited) to provide fillip to the empowerment of women self-help groups and by encouraging the milk cooperatives in government sector.

Terming Andhra Pradesh as the gateway to the south, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said, "AMUL will help the women groups and give dairy farming in cooperative sector an opportunity and exposure to world class infrastructure, technology and marketing opportunities which would improve their standard of living and in self-reliance of women."

Minister for animal husbandry and dairy development Seediri Appalaraju, speaking to the media on Friday, said that milk procurement under the project will take off from November 20 in Prakasam, Chittoor, and Kadapa districts and the cheques for dairy farmers will be given by Chief Minister on November 25.

Milk collection would be done initially in 550 villages. In Prakasam district alone, around 56,000 litre milk will be procured.

Andhra Pradesh stands fourth in the country in milk production with a daily production of about four crore litre, but the production from the organised sector through co-operative societies and private dairies is only 26 per cent of the total. The state government is planning to bring majority of unorganised dairy units into organised sector by encouraging co-operative societies and women farmers. The tie-up with Amul is for an all-around growth of dairy sector by giving a helping hand to the dairy farmers ensuring quality feed, veterinary services and marketing facilities, the Government claims.