The Hindu Business Line : Milky way

MAHANAND Dairy, run by the Maharashtra Rajya Sahakari Dudh Mahasangh Maryadit, started functioning in 1983, with a milk-handling capacity of four lakh litres per day (LLPD). The capacity was expanded up to six LLPD during 1997-98. At present, it distributes eight lakh litres a day.

Milk distribution increased from an average of 0.71 lakh litres a day (1983-84) to 7.89 LLPD. This is primarily because of increasing demand for Mahanand Milk in the Mumbai market.

The dairy also has milk-processing units at Nagpur (40,000 litres), Wardha (10,000 litres), Pune (25,000 litres) and Kudal (25,000 litres).

According to a company statement, Mahanand Dairy has been able to significantly reduce the use of energy. Water consumption has also fallen from 4.44 litres in 1984-'85 to 1.18 litres in 2001-'02. "The reduction in water consumption has not only helped in reducing the cost of milk handling but also helped in reducing hydrological load of effluent treatment plant, thereby reducing waste water treatment costs."

It makes use of non-conventional energy as a means to energy conservation. Mahanand Dairy uses a 25,000-litre capacity solar water heating system. This has saved around Rs 8 lakh a year, the statement said.

Feed constitutes 70 per cent of the cost of milk production. "The manufacture and supply of balanced cattle feed containing bypass protein is a step in the direction of cost control. Mahasangh, therefore, has established four cattle feed plants," the company said.

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