Comments
In a bid to tackle the Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP) glut, and acting on the advice of several milk unions and the apex dairy body National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), several States have begun using SMP for the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme, thereby increasing consumption.
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Monday said that six states, including Karnataka, Bihar and Rajasthan, have initiated use of SMP as milk in the scheme.
“The SMP glut is a matter of concern and we are working to tackle it. Six states have already started providing milk as part of the MDM scheme at schools and anganwadis. We are hopeful of other States joining soon,” said Singh on the sidelines of a dairy event at NDDB in Anand.
“Also, States such as Gujarat and Maharashtra have incentivised exports by providing financial assistance for SMP exports. This is also helping to address the issue,” he added.
Farmers from about 16 States participated in the National Workshop.
Co-ops recognised
During the programme, dairy cooperatives that have been efficiently using the E-Market platform of the National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India (NCDFI) for the maximum benefit of dairy farmers were also awarded.
Tamil Nadu Milk Federation topped for the maximum sale of dairy products, while the Bihar Milk Federation stood first for maximum purchase of dairy products.
NCDFI officials said that in 2017-18, total trade through the E-market platform touched ₹903 crore.
Comments
COMMENT NOW
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.