GCMMF to set up Rs 125-cr plant in Saurashtra

The Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation is going to set up a separate dairy plant near Rajkot, dedicated for the Saurashtra region. The federation has estimated the cost for the new plant to be Rs. 125 crore, and sought help from the Gujarat government for funds and other assistance such as land. The leaders and representatives of the federation had a meeting with Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister RC Faldu on Wednesday to discuss the matter. The new plant will process 30 lakh liter milk every day.

The newly elected chairman of GCMMF, Ramsinh Parmar, Managing Director RS Sodhi and other members of the federation from the Saurashtra region were present at the meeting. One of the members of the federation said the government had agreed to the proposal put forth by the GCMMF, and the dairy project in Saurashtra would start soon.

The members said: “There are almost 14 different co-operative milk producing societies in Saurashtra region and they have small milk collection plants but they do not have the facility of processing milk. Total milk collection from the region is 30 lakh liter per day and that has to be transported to plants near Gandhinagar every day. This new plant near Rajkot will have processing units that will produce skimmed milk power and other derivatives from milk.”

There is only one dairy plant by the National Dairy Development Board in Junagadh, and milk from the nearby districts such as Amreli and Gir Somnath is sent to this plant. The GCMMF is planning to capture the untapped market in other districts of the regions, and would also make an effort to grab NDDB’s market share.

“This is all about the competition and the federation is trying to expand the limits and that is why our efforts will be to divert the members of NDDB to GCMMF. We also export some of our products abroad and we are working on foreign products. Our aim is to boost the business so that the members who are milk producers or cattle rearers earn the maximum profit,” added the member.