Ahmedabad / Vadodara: Sustainable agricultural activities and stable milk prices for dairy farmers cause a 14% increase in the procurement of milk during a pandemic.
Temporary data from the milk sector sources show that the procurement of milk in Gujarat, including from other countries, increased from 215.65 lakh kg per day (LKGPD) in 2019-20 to 245.8 (LKGPD) in 2020-21 , The data submitted in parliament by the Ministry of Agriculture showed that Gujarat had the highest procurement of breastfeeding among Indian countries.
The procurement of milk in Gujarat was 228.6 LKGPD in April 2021.
“Even during a pandemic, when private players have stopped getting milk from farmers, cooperative unions continue to buy milk without reducing the prices paid to dairy farmers,” said Sodhi Hospital, managing Director, Federation of Marketing of Cooperative Milk Gujarat (GCMMF), the APEX Union District of Gujarat District Milk.
Farmers are paid between Rs 680 and Rs 710 per kg of fat as procurement prices by dairy companies, according to GCMMF officials.
“The procurement of milk continues even when farmers face many problems.
Farmers still believe in the cooperative sector, because the procurement of milk continues to grow,” Sodhi added.
The price of the procurement of the average milk remains stable throughout the country in the Pandemic year, according to data submitted in parliament.
Even in the pandemic year, the procurement of milk continued to grow in Gujarat, as happened for decades.
Collectively, the largest cooperative in the country handles 40 latric liters of milk per day (LLPD) extra during the pandemic.
The milk union in Gujarat currently gets around 193 LLPD, because July traditionally is the lowest procurement month.
At the top, the procurement by trade unions touched 280 LLPD.
“At the same time, we ensure uninterrupted liquid milk supply in this country during the covid-19-induced locking also.
Surplus milk is converted into commodities,” Sodhi said.