Karnataka Milk Federation to add more facilities in Vijayapura, Bagalkot

Milk powder production unit, ice-cream maker, and dairy in the offing

The federation will pay farmers an extra ₹1 per litre for the next four months.

The Karnataka Milk Federation has decided to add more infrastructure in Vijayapura and Bagalkot, worth over ₹60 crore, in the coming days.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, State Director and former chairman of twin-district of KMF Srishailgouda Patil said that the federation has decided to construct a 10-tonne milk powder production unit at Jamkhandi in Bagalkot district at a cost of ₹25 crore.

Besides this, a refrigeration unit, estimated at ₹1 crore, is being planned at the Vijayapura centre for value addition.

Claiming that the demand for KMF ice-cream is increasing, Mr. Patil said that to meet the growing demand and to compete with private ice-cream makers, the federation has decided to construct a 5,000-litre capacity ice-cream production unit at the Vijayapura centre.

“We already have three such units in the State from where ice-cream is supplied to various parts. Now, we wished to expand production. As part of it, we will be setting up one more ice-cream production unit here where ice cream of various flavours will be prepared,” he said.

He added that a new dairy, estimated to cost ₹22 crore, with a capacity of 1 lakh litres is being constructed at Bagalkot. While major civil works have been completed, the federation is about to call tender for mechanical and electrical works.

“Under the Ksheera Bhagya scheme, where milk is given for free to school students in the State, we have been so far giving tenders to a private agency for packing milk powder. Now, we have decided to set up our own packing unit at a cost of ₹40 lakh,” Mr. Patil said.

Stating that the federation has made a net profit of ₹2.92 crore, he said that the federation has decided to share the profit with farmers by paying an extra ₹1 per litre for the next four months. They are currently paid ₹22 per litre.

He said that Vijayapura-Bagalkot Federation was second in the State after South Canara in milk production in the State. While Vijayapura-Bagalkot Federation produces 2 lakh litres, the South Canara one produces 3.3 lakh litres daily.