- NET Web Desk
Due to acute shortage of milk, sweet stores across Shillong are limited to only produce paneer (cottage cheese), which leads into a difficult scenario.
The President of Umlyngka Primary Milk Producers Co-operative Society – PR Kharbteng admitted the crisis, which makes difficult to plan for distribution across Shillong; thereby stressing on the importance to expand dairy production.
“We need people to take up dairy farming. It will be beneficial, if more people step forward to enhance milk production,” he said.
Its worthy to note that the Meghalaya Chief Minister – Conrad Sangma recently unveiled the Milk Collection Centre of the Umlyngka Primary Milk Producer Cooperative Society Limited.
Sponsored under the Chief Minister’s Special Rural Development Fund (CMSRDF) and Special Rural Works Programme (SRWP) scheme with a project cost of around Rs. 37 lakhs; this new facility incorporates of a chilling unit, testing facilities to maintain quality checks of the milk collected at the centre.
During the inaugural ceremony, Sangma emphasized on the crucial role of dairy cooperative societies in making the State become self-reliant in milk production.
“There is a deficit of 50 to 60 percent in the State’s milk production and therein lies a huge opportunity for the local dairy farmers to meet the market demand for milk in the State,” – informed Sangma.
Meanwhile, the state administration recently launched the ‘Meghalaya Milk Mission’ which provides loans with subsidy for 2000 dairy farmers.
