Monthly payouts to milk producers increased to ₹26 cr: Himachal govt

HP's milk procurement rises to 2 lakh litres daily, boosting farmers' payouts from ₹8.70 crore to ₹25.62 crore, enhancing rural economic growth.

Hike in milk procurement price has led to a consistent rise in government milk procurement. The HP state Co-operative Milk Producers Federation Ltd is now on an average procuring two lakh litres per day. The monthly payouts to the milk producers have increased from ₹8.70 crore to ₹25.62 crore, providing direct financial benefits to milk producers, said the government in a statement on Thursday.

Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (HT File)

Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, “The present state government has taken numerous steps to bolster the milk-based economy. We are procuring cow milk at ₹45 per litre and buffalo milk at ₹55 per litre. Since 90% of the state’s population resides in rural areas, our aim is to ensure money reaches the hands of the villagers, enabling their economic development. The government will continue to make significant decisions in this direction in the future as well.”

To bring transparency in milk procurement, 455 automated milk collection centres have been established across the state through Milkfed. The Milkfed is collecting milk directly from the farmers’ door steps even in the remotest part of the state, ensuring financial benefits to improve their social and economic conditions. Additionally, Milkfed is also providing farmers with 5 litre capacity cans.

Sukhu said that the state government has also initiated a Him Ganga Yojna from the current financial year with an initial outlay of ₹500 crore. He said that the state government has set up a new milk processing plant with a daily capacity of 50,000 litres at Duttnagar in Shimla district with a cost of ₹25 crore.

Additionally, the government is also establishing a new processing plant with a capacity of 1.50 lakh litres per day in Dhagwar in Kangra district. He said that these initiatives will go a long way in providing remunerative prices to the farmers for their milk production.