Sakthi to initiate dairy farm concept to augment milk production

ABT Industries’ dairy division is initiating a farming concept for the promotion of dairy farms, to get the comparative advantage in milk production.

To achieve this, it has adopted an integrated farm model for productivity increase as well as volumes from farms, with a target of achieving 15 lakh litres per day by 2025.

However, the short-term objective is to increase the production from the current 1.8 lakh litres per day to 3 lakh litres in the next two years, says CP Charles, Senior President, ABT Industries Ltd.

Strong demand With a strong demand for milk and milk products at the rate of 10-15 per cent annum as well as growth in dairy business in the organised segment coupled with the renewed focus of global companies in this trade in India has prompted ABT Industries to augment productivity and quality, he said.

Elaborating the salient features of the dairy farm concept, Charles said the model would involve facilitating induction of high yielding breeds that would produce on an average 15 litres milk per day from the current 7.3 lakh litres per day.

The size of those proposed farms would be 15-plus animals and the model will also encourage automation of dairy farms, helping farmers construct reasonably good animal shelter, supplying of good quality feed, animal breeding, nutrition management, etc.

Feed centres Going forward, Charles said the company is contemplating setting up modernised collective dairy farms at strategic locations for helping women groups in villages. It is also working on the concept of Israel-model feed centres to supply adequate feed and fodder to the member producers, for which the company has established linkages with reputed feed companies.

There are also plans to increase the captive milk procurement through family farm system.

ABT Industries, which markets milk and milk products under the brand name Sakthi, will invest ₹180 crore for capacity expansion in the next three years at its Pollachi production facility and a new plant at Krishnagiri.

Plans are also afoot to set up a new packaging unit in Kerala, the second largest market after Tamil Nadu with a capacity of 50,000 litres per day, he said adding that another plant for ultra high temperature milk with high shelf life will also be in the offing.

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