Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday unveiled the expanded dairy plant of West Assam Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Ltd. popularly known as Purabi Dairy.
After unveiling the first batch of Purabi Ice Creams, Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “This ice cream tastes great as it is made from milk produced by the dairy farmers of Assam.”
Through this new plant, the capacity of milk processing will increase to 1.5 lakh litre, and will help the thousands of dairy farmers in Assam, who will get better market access through this initiative.
The Assam Government has formed a JV company with NDDB and with the inauguration of the new plant; the company has launched its first commercial product.
“The state government from next year has decided to provide Rs 5 additional benefit on each litre of milk to the dairy farmers of the state in the organized sector,” the Chief Minister said.
The additional Rs 5 will be over and above the already existing rate given by the different dairy cooperatives.
“We are providing additional support to the farmers who through various interventions like sex-sorted breed, and artificial insemination are already increasing their yield,” Sarma announced.
The CM also announced WAMUL’s decision to increase the basic milk procurement price by Re 1 per liter i.e. from Rs 39 per liter to Rs 40 per liter at 4 percent Fat and 8.5 percent SNF with effect from March 1.
The Chief Minister also informed that the state government will immediately release funds for development of milk processing units in Jorhat and Dibrugarh.
“Along with today’s new plant at Purabi Dairy in Guwahati, and the two new units at Jorhat and Dibrugarh, the new JV company will also set up units in Barak Valley, Lakhimpur-Dhemaji and Nagaon.
The 6 units will further satisfy the demand of milk and allied products in the state, Sarma said.
Under the management of NDDB since 2008, Purabi Dairy has grown in leaps and bounds.
From a meager milk procurement volume of 400 litres per day currently it has reached volumes of over 60,000 litres per day covering around 30,000 dairy farmers that are organised into 800 plus dairy cooperative societies across 21 districts in lower, central and upper parts of Assam.
The milk processing plant of Purabi Dairy plays a significant role in manufacturing of fresh packed milk and various value added products such as paneer, curd, flavored milk, cream, and ghee.
At present, milk and milk equivalent of products worth of around 1.05 lakh liters are being sold in the market every day.
Over the years the processing plant has become the single largest revenue center of WAMUL enabling it to attain sales turnover of over Rs 200 crore during the financial year ending March 2023.
