The Maharashtra government plans to turn around financial situation of debt-ridden farmers in Yavatmal – a district that boasts the highest incidence of farmer suicide in the state by using a range of services offered by Gujarat’s milk cooperative ”Amul’, reports Hindustan Times.
Amul will mainly take care of marketing and milk procurement in the district, for example.
Most of dairy units in the district are ailing and are likely to be in liquidation. It is against this backdrop that Amul has begun collecting milk from parts of the district and will soon start using the infrastructure of the district cooperative including its residential and official premises and refrigeration plant, says an informed source.
A govt official who asked his name not to be mentioned said all dairy units in the district went bust because politicians kept a throttle-hold over them.
With Amul offering its excellent services, farmers’ income is expected to rise which will keep them away from private money lenders as well as help them avoid suicides.