Thiruvananthapuram: Showers boost milk production

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Local milk procurement of MILMA from Thiruvananthapuram region has shot up by well over 25 percent in the past year, say top officials of Thiruvananthapuram Regional Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Ltd (TRCMPU). Abundant pre-monsoon showers that boost grass cover and anticipated sumptuous monsoon could further boost the production, they say. While around 2.5 lakh litres was being procured daily from societies at Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts in 2016, now it has increased to 3.5 lakh litres.

Apart from this 1 lakh litre was being procured from North Kerala and other states. The Malabar region which has already achieved the goal of surplus milk production has been serving around 50,000 litres to Thiruvananthapuram region.
“Uncertainties in Gulf countries had forced many to return to Kerala. A big chunk of them have started dairy farms as cash crops like rubber are bringing loss to farmers. In the past years, many rubber cultivators have also taken to dairy farming,” said a TRCMPU official.

“Apart from the state government, the MILMA has also raised incentives for dairy farmers. In rural areas, more people were focusing on the civic works under National Rural Employment Guarantee schemes,” said S. Gireesh Kumar, member of MILMA Director Board. MILMA was procuring nearly 13.5 lakh litres of milk daily from across Kerala in 2016-17. This is a sharp jump from 2010-2011 when they were collecting just 6.8 lakh litres.