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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
GANDHINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone and dedicate three new plants of Sabar Dairy in Gujarat on Thursday.
The plant is estimated to raise the annual income of cattle rearers in the state by around ₹700 crores annually. The Gujarat Government led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is taking dedicated steps to ensure the welfare of farmers and cattle rearers and increase their income.
This plant, spread across five acres of land, will be established with an investment of ₹600 crores. It will help meet the demand for cheese by 2023-24 which is growing at a rate of 15 per cent every year, according to Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).
“This new cheese factory will use around 1.2 crore litres of milk annually to generate an additional income of ₹700 crores for cattle rearers. Currently, the cheese market in India is ₹3,000 crores which is likely to go up to ₹6,000 crores in the next five years. Gujarat’s Amul currently holds the top position in India’s cheese market with a 70 per cent market share,” said RS Sodhi, Managing Director at GCMMF.
Operational for the last 58 years, this dairy has been instrumental in providing adequate prices to milk producers and ensuring that they can reap the benefits of various government schemes. The number of cattle rearers today has increased to 3,85,000 from 2,50,000 during 2001-02. The annual turnover has also skyrocketed to ₹6,803 crores from ₹351 crores in 2001-02. Thirty-three lakh litres of milk are processed every day.
Currently, 250 lakh litres of milk are being processed by 24 Co-operative Dairies every day. One-fifth of that is being used as the liquid. Rest is being used to make milk powder, butter, paneer, chocolate and similar products. Milk’s annual business through the co-operative sector is approximately ₹60,000 crores.
The demand for cheese has soared five times in the last decade. In the wake of growing demand, farmers will get a better price and eventually raise their overall earnings.
Currently, there are three cheese plants in Gujarat: Amul fed dairy plant-Bhat, Kheda District Milk Producer Association (Kheda Jillaa Dudh Utpadak Sangh) – Khatraj, and Banas Dairy Plant Deodar. The new plant at Sabar dairy will augment Cheese production and benefit the state’s economy.
Meanwhile, the state government is undertaking several efforts to increase milk production. Superior quality cattle breeds are being brought to Gujarat from states like Punjab and the government is assisting cattle rearers with artificial insemination and conception.
Dedicated research and development activities are being carried out for this purpose in centres at diaries in Anand, Vadodara, Surat, Mehsana, Bharuch and Banaskantha. Besides this, the state government is also undertaking experiments in consultation with experts from countries like Brazil and Denmark.
Around 25 lakh cattle rearers and farmers are benefitting from this activity. A special helpline has been established to ensure on-site help from veterinary doctors.
