Panaji

With Goa government allowing Surat District Co-operative Milk Producers Union (SUMUL) to set up a business in the state, a group of farmers here said today that having one more dairy would benefit them in terms of milk prices.

“We have no fear in the mind that once SUMUL starts operating in Goa, the dairy farming will be affected. In fact, it will benefit the farmers as they can fetch better prices for the milk and also will get good quality cattle feed,” Shivanand Bakre, member of Vitthalapur Milk Society told reporters.

Goa government recently gave its nod to Gujarat-based SUMUL to operate in the state, in addition to existing Goa State Cooperative Milk Producers Union, also known as Goa Dairy.

Bakre said monopoly is always dangerous for any of the businesses.

“Having another dairy will break the monopoly of Goa Dairy which has been in the market since long. If Goa Dairy provides better farmer-friendly schemes and prices, then I don’t think any farmer will opt for SUMUL. There is equal advantage for both the dairies,” he said.

“If farmers are satisfied with the cattle feed and price for the milk given by Goa Dairy, then farmers will never switch over to SUMUL,” he said.

Bakre, who claimed that he was addressing the press conference on behalf of farmers from Sattari, Quepem and Canacona talukas, alleged Goa Dairy has failed to provide good cattle feed, which, he said, has resulted in poor quality of milk.

SUMUL’s entry will affect dairy biz in state: Goa dairy

Panaji

Goa’s dairy cooperative milk union has expressed fear that the entry of Gujarat-based SUMUL will disturb state’s four-decade old cooperative movement.

“Entire cooperative movement in state’s rural areas which is built over last four decades will be disturbed. We fear that structure of 176 dairy societies, which supply milk after collecting them from the farmers, will face a set back,” Managing Director of the union, N C Sawant said.

Goa government has notified Surat district Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd (SUMUL) as a dairy to collect milk which will be in addition to the already existing state’s lone dairy union – Goa State Milk Producers Union, commonly known as Goa Dairy.

The union has also petitioned Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who has assured them to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, the BJP-led government had earlier said the entry of new player will benefit farmers. “SUMUL will benefit the farmers who were till date relying only on Goa Dairy,” state BJP spokesperson Pramod Sawant said.

Headquartered in Ponda, 30 km from here, Goa Dairy was incepted by state government in 1975 and was handed over to farmers in 1984.

The dairy was formed on the Anand pattern of Gujarat (headquarter of Amul), approved by National Dairy Development Board.

Sawant said families of around 19,000 dairy farmers are benefited from Goa Dairy on daily basis who supply milk to the respective societies in their villages.

The milk is then transported to the mechanised plant at Ponda where it is processed and then supplied to consumers through 1,200 authorised outlets.

Sawant said around 70,000 litres of milk from local farmers and 20,000 litres from neighbouring states is procured every day.

He said that Goa Dairy is in profit with its turnover of Rs 140 crore in the last fiscal, of which Rs 1.78 crore, nearly 10 per cent of the profit was shared with the farmers.

“Despite sharing the earnings, Goa Dairy made a profit of Rs 40 lakh in the last fiscal of which Rs 24 lakh was again shared with the societies in the form of dividend and bonus.

Goa Dairy also provides subsidised cattle feed,” Sawant said.

PTI