A two-day district-level dairy farmers’ meet concluded at Ramapuram in the district on Tuesday. Earlier, addressing dairy farmers, Finance Minister K.M. Mani said the State had achieved unprecedented growth in the dairy sector.
In fact, the rate of growth in the dairy sector in the State was 1.5 per cent more than that of Gujarat, so far the flag-bearer of the sector, he pointed out.
The State owed much to the 3,000-odd primary cooperatives in the dairy sector for achieving the feat of producing 15 lakh litres of milk per day, he said.
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Mr. Mani wanted youngsters to come into dairy sector in large numbers. He pointed out that those who completed the entrepreneurial skill development programme launched by the State government stood to get Rs.20 lakh as interest-free assistance to commence new enterprises.
K.C. Joseph, Minister for Dairy Development, said the government was seriously thinking of increasing the pension amount for dairy farmers. He said the government had played a key role in stabilising the price of milk in the market. “During the past four years, the price of milk has been enhanced by Rs.13 a litre,” he said.
The incentives had played a key role in the unprecedented rate of growth of the dairy sector in the State which touched 17 per cent the past year. “For Kottayam the figure is 34 per cent,” he said and added that the district had already achieved self-sufficiency in milk production.
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Self-sufficiency
Mr. Joseph said that the government had earmarked the biggest share for dairy sector in the annual Plan with the target of achieving self-sufficiency in the sector.
Inaugurating the valedictory session, Mons Joseph, MLA, said he would raise the issue of enhancing the pension for dairy farmers to Rs.1,000 a month.
Awards for dairy farmers in various categories were distributed on the occasion.
‘State plans to hike pension for dairy farmers’
Dairy sector growth touches 17% in State