J'khand will produce surplus milk in 5 to 7 years: Hemant
Ranchi: Jharkhand would soon be able to produce surplus milk and sell it outside the state, chief minister Hemant Soren said while inaugurating the the state's first milk powder generation plant on the Medha Diary premises at Hotwar here.
Inaugurating the plant jointly with Hemant, state agriculture, dairy and animal husbandry department minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey also said the new plant would mean a new chapter in Jharkhand's 'White Revolution' making its dependence on Assam and Chhattisgarh for converting excess milk into milk powder end.
T
he powder plant will have a capacity of 20 MT per day and will be constructed at a total cost of Rs 80 crore.
Hemant also laid the foundation for a silage plant in Nagri, Ranchi, which will use leftover fruit and vegetable residues from the Mother Dairy complex to produce feeds for animals. It will not only provide an additional source of income for the state's farmers but also serve as a nutritious option for animals throughout the year. Additionally, the CM unveiled the 'Medha Ragi Laddu', organic fertilizer 'Medha Sudhan', and a distributor app developed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) on the occasion.
Addressing a function on the occasion attended by 2,000 dairy farmers, Hemant said Medha dairy is among the priority sectors of the govt to augment farmers' income, and put the state on the development map. "The way we are progressing, our state will not just be able to become self-sufficient in the next five to seven years, but will also be in a position to become a surplus milk-producing state."
He appealed to the farmers to help protect the environment.
The chief minister further said, "Commercial agriculture is the need of the hour. Special attention must be given to increasing the value addition of agricultural products. Our govt is supporting farmers through various means."
On a lighter note, Hemant said, "If cricketing icon M S Dhoni can do farming, why can't others?"
He also said, "Despite all challenges, our govt is making continuous efforts to promote agriculture and animal husbandry.
We are taking concrete steps to make the state self-sufficient in the production of milk, fish and meat among others. The govt is preparing a work plan to enhance milk collection activities."
Agriculture minister Tirkey added, "Today marks a special day for Jharkhand as a new chapter in the field of the White Revolution began. Until now, the state had to rely on states like Assam and Chhattisgarh to convert excess milk into milk powder.
Now, the milk collected at the Medha plant complex can be easily converted into milk powder."
A year after the formation of the state, the Jharkhand Cooperative Milk Federation Limited (JMF), tied with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to boost milk production. In the last decade, JMF strengthened its milk collection, processing and marketing system by establishing state-of-the-art dairy plants with a capacity of 1,00,000 litres per day in Ranchi, and 50,000 litres per day each in Sarath (Deoghar), Sahebganj, and Palamu.
JMF has paid Rs 1,500 crore to milk producers in the state directly into their bank accounts.
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