To encourage women dairy farmers and to boost dairy farming in the state, the Andhra Pradesh Government has tied up with Gujarat-based Amul to procure milk from the state’s dairy farmers.
Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development S Appalaraju said that milk procurement under the AP-Amul project will start from November 20 in Prakasam, Chittoor, and Kadapa districts.
“Andhra Pradesh has signed an MoU with Amul to encourage milk cooperative societies, especially those run by women, and further develop the dairy sector in the State. The MoU aims at boosting confidence among dairy farmers and empowering them economically and socially,” Appalaraju said.
Nearly 5.6 lakh women, who were provided with financial assistance under YSR Cheyutha scheme had come forward for setting up mini dairies in the villages and the government had supplied milch cattle and buffaloes to those women.
Around additional 22 lakh litres of milk production is estimated through mini-dairies which Amul will procure and pay the dairy farmers.
The Minister said that the milk collection by Amul will take place in three districts Prakasam, Chittoor and Kadapa, in about 550 villages.
In Prakasam district alone, around 56,000 litres of milk will be procured. All these farmers will be receiving their cheques from Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on November 25.
Minister Appalaraju said that the tie-up with Amul is for an all-around growth of the dairy sector by giving a helping hand to the dairy farmers ensuring quality feed, veterinary services and marketing facilities, he said.
“Even though AP stands fourth in the country in milk production with a daily production of about four crore litres, the production from the organised sector through co-operative societies and private dairies is only 26 percent of the total production. The State government wants to bring the majority of unorganised dairy units into the organised sector by encouraging co-operative societies and women farmers,” he said.
Giving a boost to the dairy sector, the State will be spending Rs 1,362 crores for infrastructure development by setting up Bulk Milk Cooling Units and Milk Collection Centres in Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs).
The project will be implemented in a phased manner and in the first phase about 7,121 Milk Collection Centres and 2,774 BMCUs will be set up.
A total of 3639 and 3486 BMCUs 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.
