Under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, leading cooperative of the state-Milkfed further got strengthened this year.
The massive efforts of state government to give remunerative price to milk producers, expansion of Verka mill plants and launch of new products has strengthened the Milkfed.
The Chief Minister has sanctioned big ticket projects to Milkfed to supplement the income of farmers through milk production on one hand and to make dairy farming a profitable venture on the other.
Additionally, for bailing out the milk producers the state government has enhanced fat per kilogram in milk to Rs 25 during April 1 to October 31.
Currently, the milk is being purchased at Rs 840 per kg fat and at present there are 6000 cooperative societies in state which have five lakh milk producers registered with them.
Apart from this, the Chief Minister has also dedicated an ultra-modern Verka Dairy milk plant at Ludhiana with capacity to process nine lakh litre milk daily. This plant also has capacity of catering 10 metric ton butter.
Likewise, the Chief Minister has also dedicated upgraded Ferozepur milk plant to the masses with the capacity of processing and packaging one lakh litre milk daily. Bhagwant Singh Mann has also taken an important initiative to expand units involved in milk processing. The Chief Minister has also dedicated ultra modren project at Jalandhar for processing and packaging of fermented products.
The Chief Minister has made every effort to supplement the income of farmers by augmenting the infrastructure for sale and supply of milk. Milkfed had registered an increase of 9.5% by purchasing more than 20 lakh litres milk daily. In this year only Milkfed also started the sale of sugar free kheer, milk cake and other products on demand of people. Despite of strict competition the Milkfed sold 12.66 lakh litre packets of milk which was 5% more than last year when 12.01 lakh litre of milk was sold.