Milma Chairman K.S. Mani has demanded that the milk reaching Kerala from other States should be checked for quality at all border checkpoints.
Addressing dairy farmers at a gathering held here on Monday as part of the District Dairy Farmers Festival, Mr. Mani raised concerns about the quality of thousands of litres of milk reaching Kerala from Tamil Nadu every day.
Low number of laboratories
At present, the Dairy Development department has laboratories to test the milk only at the Meenakshipuram check-post in Palakkad district, Aryankavu check-post in Kollam district and the Parassala check-post in Thiruvananthapuram district.
In Palakkad district alone, there are 10 routes to enter Tamil Nadu. While the Meenakshipuram check-post has milk testing facility, the checkpoints at Chammanampathy, Govindapuram, Gopalapuram, Nadupuni, Uzhalapathy, Velanthavalam, Walayar, Anakkatti and Mulli do not have any such facility.
Several officials of the department too shared the concerns raised by Milma Chairman.
Fodder subsidy
Inaugurating the function, Palakkad Service Cooperative Bank president C. Balan asked the government to take initiative to provide fodder subsidy even while making ration rice available for ₹2 a kilogram for the people.
Dairy Development Deputy Director Jayasujeesh J.S. presided over the function. Assistant Director Bindu N., District Quality Control Officer Femi V. Mathew, dairy development society presidents M. Jayakrishnan, R. Gangadharan and K. Vijayan spoke at the function. Kollengode Block Dairy Farm instructor Sudarshanan proposed a vote of thanks.
Food Safety Department Assistant Commissioner V.K. Pradeep Kumar spoke on ‘health through safe milk’. Dairy Development Officer Rashmi J. led a class on ‘profitable milk products’.
