Focus on milk procurement in ERCMPU budget

Cooperative to procure entire quantum of milk produced even if it has to suffer losses

The Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (ERCMPU) has said it will procure the entire quantum of milk produced even if it had to suffer a loss on account of the move. Milk procurement figures prominently in the budget presented by the union on Thursday, which envisages a total outlay of ₹740 crore for the current financial year. Chairman John Theruvath said the union was committed to the welfare of the dairy farmers attached to the union. He said there were around 933 primary cooperatives and nearly 50,000 farmers, who were supplying around four lakh litres of milk to the union on a daily basis. The sales had reached around 3.65 lakh litres per day. The quantity that could not be sold was being converted into value-added products, he said. The farmers have been told that the milk cooperative would procure the entire quantity of milk available with them after ensuring the quality of the produce. The cooperative had suffered some financial losses in procuring the entire quantity of milk from farmers in the wake of the second COVID-19 wave, added Mr. Theruvath.