The 32nd annual meeting of the Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union will be held at Sumangali Auditorium here on Saturday.
Former Agriculture Director R. Haley has been selected for this year’s Nanniyode Rajan Memorial Award instituted by Milma in memory of its former chairman. Minister K. Raju would hand over the award that carried a purse of ₹25,000 and a citation at the event, said Kallada Ramesh, chairman of Milma’s Thiruvananthapuram region, here on Thursday.
The Velluchirma milk society in Pathanamthitta will receive the Koyivila Vijayan Memorial Trophy for the best milk society. The best societies from Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha are Chirakkara Idavattom, Vallikunnam, and Nediyavirali respectively.
Milma’s Thiruvananthapuram region has 6,704 agencies, 74 distributors, and 167 shoppes for marketing various products. “We are currently facing a daily deficit of 2 lakh litres in milk production with the dairy sector receiving a major blow in the floods,” said Mr. Ramesh. Apart from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Kasaragod districts, farmers across the State were affected and the dip in internal production had impacted the distribution network as well.
“More than 8,000 cows perished in the flood and an equal number has been left unproductive due to injuries and infections. We have started camps offering free treatment to the cattle in flood-hit areas. Farmers in Kuttanad and Pathanamthitta have been severely affected,” he said.
Mr. Ramesh added that Milma has set aside ₹6.5 crore for various relief activities.
“We have distributed milk products in camps and fodder and other aids will be made available to all farmers who are facing crisis,” he said.
