The Hindu Business Line : Visakha Dairy to strengthen brand, export milk products

VISAKHA Dairy is introducing two new products (fruit curds and table butter) and has plans to export tetra pack milk to other States, according to the Managing Director, Dr N.V. Venkata Rao.

In an interview here on Friday, he said Visakha was one of the most successful co-operative dairies not only in the State but also in the country, built on the Anand model, and had the capacity to process five lakh litres a day.

``Our aim is to strengthen the brand and export milk and milk products to other States. We are planning to increase the bulk cooling centres from 60 to 80,'' he said.

The dairy, which had extended its activities to East Godavari in the recent years, is setting up a milk powder plant in the vicinity of Peddapuram in that district.

Referring to the controversy surrounding the plant, he said it would have cost the company around Rs 20 crore to construct a new plant of that size.

"We have therefore imported the second-hand plant from Australia at a cost of only Rs 7 crore. The plant was shipped from Australia in over 20 containers, but due to some logistical problems some of the containers arrived in Singapore, some in Mumbai and some here, resulting in heavy demurrages. However, the Australian company would bear the cost and we will face no problem,'' he said.

House Committee probe: On the House Committee inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the dairy, Dr Venkata Rao said, "We are clean and transparent. Let them conduct any number of inquiries they want. The board has taken all the decisions keeping in view the interests of farmers, consumers and employees. The dairy has achieved remarkable success as there has been no interference till now.''

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