With the onset of summer, the Mysuru Milk Union Limited (MyMUL) said it was taking measures to ensure that there was no drop in milk procurement and it was also planning to increase the procurement price to milk producers in the district by ₹1 a litre from March 16 so that they could take additional care of cattle in summer.
Disclosing this to The Hindu, MyMUL Managing Director Vijaykumar said the milk procurement this year is more than last year’s yield. The daily procurement to the Mysuru District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Societies’ Union Limited is around 6.50 lakh litres, which is 10 per cent more compared to last year’s procurement, he added.
Though the officials of MyMUL argue that the drop in milk production was common in summer, they are confident that the daily procurement of 6.50 lakh litres may continue until summer and the union will also continue supplying surplus milk to the milk unions that were facing “shortage”.
Mr Vijaykumar said the procurement was about 6.70 lakh litres in February this year but the moderate drop in March was seasonal. “The procurement usually varies in summer and it is normal. Moreover, the procurement has seen an increase of 10 per cent compared to last year, which was 5.80 lakh litres. The milk producers have been advised on the steps to be taken in summer to ensure there was no drop in milk yield,” he added.
In June-July last year, the procurement in Mysuru had crossed 8 lakh litres. The milk producers get ₹31.85 a litre while the milk societies were paid ₹33.42 a litre by the Union.
Mandya Milk Union Limited is one of the largest milk producers in the State with the current daily procurement being around 8.3 lakh liters.
“We have surplus milk of 3 lakh litres daily. The union is catering to the rising demand for milk in the State. ManMUL alone supplies 1.20 lakh litres of milk daily to Bengaluru for meeting the local demand,” said ManMUL Managing Director P.R. Manjesh.
He said the milk procurement in Mandya goes up to 10.4 lakh litres in peak season and drops to 8 lakh to 8.2 lakh litres in summer. “Among the districts, Mandya is the largest milk producer in the State. The district has never faced milk shortage,” Mr. Manjesh said.
Sources said the Ksheera Bhagya milk will remain with the unions during school vacation. So, the surplus can take care of additional demand in summer and for the production of curd and buttermilk whose production has gone up with the rise in demand, they add.
