Improvement works at Aavin’s dairies at Kakkalur and Ambattur in Tiruvallur district are nearing completion.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa will soon inaugurate the expanded dairies of the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Milk Producer’s Federation Limited, V. Moorthy, minister for dairy development announced on Wednesday.
Tabling the demands for the Department in the Assembly, he said Rs. 4.5 crore had been sanctioned last year for additional packaging and cold room facilities at Kakkalur. On completion of the work there, another one lakh litre of milk would be processed for supply to the city.
Similarly, at Ambattur where work is on to improve the milk-product facilities, production of products including ice cream, lassi, buttermilk, khoa, yoghurt and shrikand would double. These two dairies together would be able to process an additional 1.5 lakh litres of milk a day.
Presently, on an average, 11.20 lakh litres of milk are being supplied every day to the city. The facility in Ambattur alone supplies 3.40 lakh litres to central Chennai. The Kakkalur dairy, which was revived in 2011, processes 7,000 litres.
More parlours
Meanwhile, Mr. Moorthy also announced that at least 100 new Aavin parlours would be opened across the State. These would be located at railway stations, bus termini, taluk and district hospitals, market places, schools and colleges.
“This number could even touch 200 as, even if one parlour were to be opened in all the municipalities, the figure could go up. This would also help in turning around Aavin, which after several years has shown a cumulative profit of Rs. 160 crore for the current year. The Federation still has cumulative losses of Rs. 650 crore to deal with and increased sales would mean more revenue and more profits,” said a source.
Of these 100 parlours, Chennai will get nearly 50. The city already has 75 parlours including three mobile parlours and over 100 franchise retail outlets.
Aavin’s hot milk sold at Rs. 7 per cup is quite a popular product as it is healthy, hygienic and safe.
Mr. Moorthy also announced that an integrated office complex that would also house a consumer welfare centre would come up at Nandanam at a cost of Rs. 5 crore. A total of Rs. 5 lakh has been granted for the purchase of computers and accessories for the office of the commissioner for Milk Production and Dairy Development. A compound wall will be constructed around the Federation’s orchard at Madhavaram at a cost of Rs. 20 lakh, he said.
