KOCHI: Milma’s Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (ERCMPU) will give an extra Rs 7 per litre to the societies under it, with Rs 5 per litre going to the farmers, for two months. This was decided by a meeting of ERCMPU held on Thursday.
This is the biggest such incentive by far in the history of the dairy sector in the country, Milma Ernakulam chairman M T Jayan said, after a meeting here.
The beneficiaries of Milma’s decision will be its 1,000-plus cooperative societies and 50,000-odd dairy farmers for the next two months (February 1 to March 31). Of the amount, Rs 5 per litre will go to the farmer and the rest Rs 2 to the cooperative society. The Rs 2 per litre must be used to meet the employees’ salary and office expenses, according to Milma Ernakulam.
The societies procure milk at Rs 44/litre from farmers at the moment. For the next two months, the farmers will receive Rs 49/litre. The milk societies will receive Rs 51/litre from Milma, as per the new incentives.
Milma Ernakulam envisages an annual extra expenditure of Rs 13 crore through the decision. Milma collects three lakh litres of milk every day from its farmers in Idukki, Kottayam, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts that come under ERCMPU.
The union has kept apart Rs 17 crore to meet the pay-revision arrears over the past three years.
"The Milma’s pioneering comprehensive cattle insurance and animal welfare schemes of Rs 5 crore endeavour is “going ahead without any hiccups,” Jayan said.
Milma Ernakulam will spend another Rs 10 crore this financial year from its operating profit for the benefit of the farmers and societies in the four districts, he added.