The hi-tech cattle-feed production plant coming up under the aegis of Kerala Feeds Ltd. at Thiruvangur in the Koyilandy Assembly constituency will be ready for commercial operations by September 2014.
The plant construction is in the final phase, and the civil works will be over by February 2014.
The factory, coming up in an area of 10 acres, will have all amenities, including a godown, facilities for water storage and rainwater harvesting, canteen, boiling unit, and restrooms for labourers. The factory, being built under the aegis of the Uralungal Labour Contract Society, will have the capacity to produce 300 tonnes of cattle feed a day.
Initially, the State government-funded project will benefit from a total aid of Rs.50 lakh, of which Rs.18 lakh will be spent on the completion of building amenities. A portion of the remaining fund will be utilised for developing internal roads and drainage facilities. Along with this, imported machines will be installed for the large-scale- and quality production of the feed.
The project, sanctioned by the government in 2011, is expected to benefit a large number of dairy farmers in the Malabar region. Though the factory is located in Thiruvangur, the products will be available through sub-dealers across the State. Goat feed too will be available for the farmers once full-fledged operations begin.
The foundation stone for the factory building was laid by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on September 17, 2011. The construction began on September 7, 2012. The land identified for the project was lying idle with the Coconut Development Corporation. It was following a proposal submitted by M. Dasan, MLA, that the new venture was realised.
A proposal for opening a sub-centre of Kerala Agricultural University on the site too has been submitted for the consideration of the government. Mr. Dasan, who submitted the proposal, said the excess land available after the factory was built could be utilised for the purpose.
The MLA said the cattle-feed production unit would be of big help to the dairy farmers in the Malabar region who were facing a shortage of quality feed at affordable prices. “The work is in full swing and we hope to start the commercial production by September 2014,” he said.
