Sixtyeight years after the Amul pattern of milk cooperatives began in Gujarat, the White Revolution has finally commenced at Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi!
Milk producers of Bapu’s district have organised the Porbandar District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd, the state’s 18th milk body. Known as Sudama Dairy, it became functional on March 22, a spokesperson of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets Amul products, said here on Friday.
The revolution had begun in Kheda district with the establishment of Amul Dairy in 1946. Based on the Amul pattern, cooperative milk unions were established in other districts of Gujarat. In 1973, six milk unions of Gujarat formed the GCMMF. At present, 17 cooperative milk unions (dairies) of Gujarat are federated with it. Milk and milk products produced by these dairies are marketed by GCMMF under the “Amul” Brand.
Milk producers of Porbandar district were getting price of around Rs 495 per kg fat of milk. With the establishment of their Union, private vendors have increased price by Rs 10 to 20 per kg fat of milk. On the other hand, the Union has already started paying milk price of Rs. 550 per kg, the highest in the district.
The estimated milk production of Porbandar district is around 4 lakh litre per day. The Amul-affiliated Union plans to procure about half of it in the next two years. This would provide around Rs. 300 crore per annum to milk producers in villages.