“As no native worth addition chain is happening, farmers are compelled to promote fruits as uncooked materials at a really low value. Their situation right this moment is similar to that of dairy farmers earlier than the cooperative dairy mannequin was based,” Humbal stated. (Representational)
To deliver horticulture farmers in Kutch into the cooperative dairy community, Sarhad Dairy on Tuesday stated it’ll arrange a fruit processing plant within the district at the price of Rs 50 crore.
“Farmers rising horticulture crops, like pomegranates, dates, mango, and many others, are seeing their returns dwindling attributable to lack of market linkages and absence of an area worth addition chain. Subsequently, on the annual common assembly of Sarhad Dairy, held on Monday, the Board of Administrators of the dairy have determined in precept to arrange a fruit processing plant in Kutch. Our estimate is that such a plant for extracting juices, making ready frozen and dehydrated fruit merchandise will value round Rs 50 crore,” Valamji Humbal, chairman of Sarhad Dairy instructed The Indian Express on Tuesday. Humbal can be the vice-chairman of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Advertising Federation Restricted (GCMMF), the dairy federation which markets dairy merchandise beneath the model identify Amul.
Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Parsottam Rupala, Minister of State for Tourism and Welfare of Socially and Educationally Backward Courses, Vasan Ahir and GCMMF managing director R S Sodhi have been additionally current on the Sarhad Dairy AGM in Anjar.
“As no native worth addition chain is happening, farmers are compelled to promote fruits as uncooked materials at a really low value. Their situation right this moment is similar to that of dairy farmers earlier than the cooperative dairy mannequin was based,” Humbal stated.
The Sarhad Dairy chairman stated they have been in session with varied stakeholders for establishing the plant. “We have now been consulting with advertising and expertise specialists in addition to officers of GCMMF for establishing this plant. We’re of the assumption that such a plant is economically viable and can be of assist to farmers. We have now land at Chandrani village in Anjar taluka of Kutch for such a plant. However one other view is that since processed fruit merchandise of Kutch has the potential of discovering an abroad market, such a plant ought to be arrange in Mundra in order that port connectivity turns into simple. Whereas Sarhad Dairy will manufacture merchandise, GCMMF will market them,” Humbal added.
Kutch District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Restricted, popularly referred to as Sarhad Dairy was arrange in 2009 and is without doubt one of the member unions of GCMMF. Right now, Sarhad Dairy has greater than 650 village-level cooperative societies by means of which it procures round 4 lakh litre milk per day. It’s the solely dairy union of the state which procures and gross sales camel milk. Lately, after the invention of groundwater, the semi-arid district has emerged as a significant belt of horticulture crops.
Humbal stated work was in progress for establishing a second milk processing plant at Chandrani village. “This proposed milk processing plant in Chandrani is more likely to value us round Rs 100 crore. It should have the capability to course of two lakh litres milk per day and may be expanded to 4 lakh litres per day. Work order has already been issued for its civil work whereas tenders for equipment and tools are scheduled to be opened on December 7,” he stated.
The Centre has allotted Rs 24 crore for the milk processing plant beneath its Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and the GCMMF is to offer Rs 20 crore grant in the direction of mortgage curiosity subvention, the Sarhad Dairy chairman added. “Our plan is to relocate our current milk processing plant in Lakhond to Chandrani later in order that income expenditure occurring on account of workers, and many others may be decreased,” Humbal stated.
