GUWAHATI, May 20 � The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is keen to reach out to more farmers and create the requisite infrastructure for development of the dairy sector in the State.
Addressing mediapersons here today, NDDB Chairman T Nand Kumar said Assam had the resources for development of the dairy sector and it was important to tap this potential and ensure rural prosperity.
Kumar also stressed the need for farmers to form groups so that they are not deprived of their due and get connected to markets.
It needs mention that the NDDB has been managing the West Assam Milk Producers Cooperative Union Ltd, popularly known as Purabi Dairy, since 2008 under a tripartite agreement for reviving the brand. Kumar said that since then the union had registered remarkable improvement in its performance. �With a more professional approach, the union will expand its base. We will ensure that the union has more trained professionals to run its operations,� said Kumar, adding that apart from giving quality products to the consumers, the NDDB always had the welfare of the farmers in mind.
At present the union is procuring around 31,000 litres of milk every day from its 153 milk producing institutions comprising around 4,000 milk producers. The union is selling around 48,000 litres of packaged liquid milk every day along with other milk products in the markets of Assam.
�Recently the union decided to pay an additional milk price to all its active milk producers for the financial year 2014-15, besides distributing stainless steel milk jars for promoting clean milk production,� informed Kumar.
All the milk producers under the union will get this incentive in a phased manner.
On the other hand, Kumar divulged that the NDDB was discussing the possibilities of a joint venture with the Government of Assam for implementing a fruit and vegetable project in a few select districts of the State. �Once this project gets under way, we will be able to buy directly from the farmers, which will ensure that the farmers get reasonable prices for their produce,� said Kumar.
