THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government is aiming to make the state self-sufficient in the production and sale of milk, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Wednesday.
He was launching the National Project for Dairy Development (NPDD) Scheme for the dairy farmers in the state during the National Milk Day celebrations and Dr Varghese Kurien commemoration.
“An additional 1.5 lakh litres of milk should be produced per day so as to attain the aim of self-sufficiency, which the state is fast approaching,” the Chief Minister added.
He remembered Kurien as the one who created history in the milk marketing field.
The Chief Minister also launched two new products of Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF)- homogenised set curd and Milma ‘sambharam’ on the occasion. The products will be available in ready-to-drink cups in all Milma outlets across the state.
Minister for Rural Development K C Joseph presided over the function. “The NPDD scheme is a great boost for the federation and farmers as it will help Milma to improve its existing infrastructure and work towards improving the genetics of milk-producing animals in a consistent and continuous manner, thus improving the quality of milk. It will also improve the livelihoods of small-scale dairy farmers,” the Minister said.
K Muraleedharan MLA delivered the keynote address. Milma Chairman P T Gopala Kurup, district panchayat president Ansajitha Russel and Animal Husbandry Department director Brahmanandan, among others, spoke.