VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Endowments, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, has announced the formation of a high-level expert committee to recommend policy changes for procuring ghee used in temple offerings and other requirements in State temples, with a report due within 15 days.
During a meeting at the office of the Commissioner of Endowments on Tuesday, representatives from various dairy associations and organisations gathered to discuss the logistics of supplying ghee to temples.
Addressing the group, the Minister highlighted the need for approximately 1,500 tonnes of pure cow ghee annually for temple purposes. He emphasised that ensuring high-quality supply, correct quantities, and timely delivery is a primary objective.
The discussion included a review of the State’s current ghee procurement process, which shifted from direct dairy sourcing to a tender-based system in 2022. This change reportedly led some dairies to withdraw from participation due to stringent conditions in the tender process. Officials and representatives raised these challenges with the Minister.
To develop a comprehensive ghee supply strategy, the Minister instructed the Endowments Commissioner to set up a committee comprising senior officials, dairy representatives, experts from SV Dairy College, and other specialists.
This committee is tasked with studying the procurement landscape across the State, reviewing local dairy production capacities, and assessing the availability of cow ghee from existing suppliers.
The study will include a detailed analysis of the dairy industry’s capacity to meet temple demand, with specific guidance to consider factors like the 25 litres of milk required to produce one kg of ghee.
The panel’s responsibilities extend to surveying conditions across different regions and conducting site visits to ensure an efficient and locally supportive ghee procurement strategy. It will examine dairy resources, milk availability, and livestock concentrations.
Endowments Commissioner S Satyanarayana chaired the meeting, where Sangam Dairy chairman and Ponnur MLA, Dhulipala Narendra, emphasised sourcing ghee from local dairy producers within AP. He urged the procurement policies should allow fair opportunities for all dairies, keeping in mind the natural competition among unions and dairies.