The State government has sanctioned a new cooperative milk producers’ union for Perambalur district. The new project will come up at an outlay of Rs. 36.28 crore at Ootathur junction near Padalur.
Till now, primary milk societies in Perambalur district were covered by the Tiruchi District Milk Producers’ Union.
Turn key basis
The project would be executed by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Anand, Gujarat, on a turn key basis. Fifty per cent of the project cost (Rs. 18.14 crore) would be sanctioned as interest-free loan by the State government as its contribution as share capital, while the balance 50 per cent would be availed by the Tiruchi Milk Producers’ Union as loan from bank or financial institution.
The interest-free loan would be recovered after the federation settles the loan from the bank or financial institution.
Capacity upgrade
The initial processing capacity of the plant would be one lakh litres a day and it would be increased to four lakh litres a day in due course, Darez Ahamed, Collector, told a press conference here on Saturday.
At present, the district accounted for 167 primary milk producers’ cooperative societies with a daily production of about 1.10 lakh litres.
The milk was procured and processed at seven bulk milk coolers besides a chilling plant in Perambalur. Once, the new dairy was commissioned, it would cater to the needs of Perambalur and Ariyalur districts.
Site change justified
Ootathur village was ideally suited for setting up the dairy by virtue of availability of potable water source, an important infrastructure for dairy unit, Mr. Ahamed said, justifying the shift in the venue from the original site at Sengulam village.
Sengulam was devoid of any potable water source and it was estimated that creation of a source would involve an expenditure of Rs. 10 crore.
