The Kerala government has appointed a committee chaired by a dairy expert Lida Jacob to reorganize the three-tier system of dairy cooperatives and offer recommendations for ensuring a better milk collection and distribution network in the state, reports Hindu.
The committee will examine the various aspects related to the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma), regional milk unions and primary milk cooperatives.
A press note issued by the govt. said the expert panel was constituted on the recommendations of a committee set up in 2009 as part of the efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of milk, meat and eggs. The committee had recommended that Milma, being a huge farmers cooperative, faced many challenges and needed a revamp to ensure the growth of the dairy sector.
The committee is likely to study the possibility of amalgamating the State federation and the three regional milk unions to form a single cooperative entity to ensure competitive advantage.
The Committee is also expected to propose measures to strengthen the linkages with the Departments of Dairy Development and Animal Husbandry and the National Dairy Development Board and the Kerala Livestock Development Board.
