Agriculture Production Department aims to increase milk production, processing capacity in J&K: Atal Dulloo

JAMMU, MARCH 9: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, convened the second meeting of UT Level Technical Management Committee for monitoring implementation of National Program for Dairy Development in J&K at Civil Secretariat today.

ACS, who is also happens Chairman of the committee, was apprised of the status of progress achieved under the program till September 2022. It was informed that tenders for all major components and other activities have been concluded and orders have been placed for all the activities as per the approved/re-appropriated components.

Chief Executive Officer, Jammu Kashmir Milk Producers Cooperative Limited (JKMPCL), Gaurav Sharma, gave a PowerPoint Presentation on the subject. It was revealed that progress has been made in respect of average daily milk procurement and marketing, buttermilk and dahi production, chilling plant capacity and dairy plant capacity. The status of financial progress made till February 2023 was also presented.

During the meeting, detailed information was revealed about the number of progressive dairy cooperatives in JKMPCL. Over one thousand cooperatives across Jammu and Kashmir have varied production capacity ranging between 1000 litre per day to 100 litre per day.

Reports revealed that the project has improved the routine functioning of JKMPCL. It has helped provide remunerative farm-gate prices to farmers in a transparent and accountable manner. It has also decreased the losses due to spoilage, which has built confidence among the farmers. The project has also enhanced the quality of milk and increased milk procurement and marketing.

The Agriculture Production Department aims to enhance the milk processing capacity from existing 2.50 lakh litre per day to 8.50 lakh litre per day by way of implementation of various initiatives, such as IDDS, MAITRI, ‘A-HELP’ Programme and Mobile Veterinary Unit Scheme, which are considerably contributing towards augmentation of milk production in Jammu & Kashmir.

The meeting was attended by Mission Director, J&K Dairy Mission, BN Singh; Director Animal Husbandry Jammu, Shubra Sharma; Admin Head JKMPCL, Farooq Ahmad Najar besides other officers.