Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 9 (Representative) The Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), known by the brand Milma, has posted a turnover of Rs 4346.67 crore during the financial year 2023-24, marking an increase of 5.52 percent compared to last year. In 2022-23, the turnover of Milma was Rs 4119.25 crore. The figures were presented at its 51st annual General Body meeting held at the Milma Dairy at Kalpetta. The meeting also approved a revenue budget of Rs 589.53 crore and a capital budget of Rs 70.18 crore. Besides, as Onam gift to farmers, Milma announced a cattle feed subsidy of Rs 100 per each bag for 50 days. Noting that the rise in cost has forced many dairy farmers to give up the field, the meeting passed resolutions urging the government to implement comprehensive projects to support and further strengthen the sector so as to attract more people to it.
Milma Chairman K S Mani, who presided over the meeting, said Milma has been implementing a slew of projects focusing on increasing milk production and the well-being of dairy farmers. “Milma and its regional unions have adopted various measures to keep cattle feed cost at affordable levels for farmers. Apart from giving additional price for milk, steps have been taken to offer attractive incentives to farmers to help them,” he said. Mani also recalled Milma’s intervention during climate crises and natural calamities, including the devastating landslide in Wayanad. Commenting on the diversification of Milma’s products, the Chairman said the ‘Repositioning Milma’ initiative has brought uniformity in price, design, packaging and quality. He informed that availability of milk and Milma’s other products has been ensured during Onam. The meeting, which passed 10 resolutions, called for round-the-year cattle feed subsidy for farmers.
The other resolutions passed by the meeting included providing cost-effective medical aid, insurance cover for dairy farmers and cattle, interest-free loans for buying cattle, conducting a comprehensive survey of cattle and milk production figures of the state, fair value for the land of dairy cooperative societies and creating a certain percentage of fund for dairy farmers from the revenue of private players, who make profit in the state after obtaining milk from other states at a lower price. Expressing solidarity with the people devastated by the recent landslide in Wayanad, the attendees of the annual meeting decided to contribute their sitting fee to the Dairy Cooperative Society of Chooralmala. The members, led by Mani, Thiruvananthapuram Regional Co-operative Milk Producers Union (TRCMPU) Chairman Ms Mani Viswanath, Ernakulam Regional Co-operative Milk Producers Union (ERCMPU) Chairman M T Jayan and Managing Director of Milma, Asif K Yusuf, IAS, visited the landslide-struck Chooralmala village.