Milma pushes milk products in free kits to reduce surplus

The Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) has recommended that the State government include its 200 gm-milk powder and the 100-gm ghee packs in the free kits of essentials being distributed to the public through the ration shops as part of Covid-19 relief measures.

Milma intends to use excess milk procured to generate sufficient stock and ensure that the Skimmed Milk Powder and ghee packs are included in the kit.

Excess milk being procured

Despite this, Milma has not been able to make full use of the excess milk, Chairman PA Balan said here. Currently, the kit has no milk product. Inclusion of Milma products will make the kit balanced and complete, Balan said. Milma has also decided to introduce milk in cartons, he added.

The Malabar Regional Cooperative Milk Producers Union Chairman KS Mani said that the Union has excess procurement of 1.25 lakh litres per day. “We are looking for increased sales of common milk products. The milk market in Kerala is yet to return to normal after the Covid-induced crisis,” he said.

Milma distributes milk to Anganwadis under the Health Protection Scheme for the benefit of children, besides pregnant women and lactating mothers. This project was introduced in Malabar and has now been extended to Ernakulam. The Ernakulam Union Chairman John Theruvath said that milk reaches the Anganwadi district coordinators through the Milma supply chain.

Milma Thiruvananthapuram Region Chairman Kallada Ramesh points out his region is running short of an average of 40,000 litres of milk per day. The Region procures 5,000 litres every day from the Karnataka Milk Federation and the balance is sourced from the Malabar Regional Milk Union.