KOCHI:
Kerala is set to join the National Milk Day celebrations on the birth anniversary of the father of India’s White Revolution Dr Verghese Kurien on November 26, with Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), known by the brand Milma, organising a high-profile event.
The event will feature a memorial talk on the father of India’s White Revolution and the launch of a comprehensive cattle insurance policy in the state. J. Chinchurani, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development will inaugurate the function at Adlux Convention Centre at 10.30 am. Benny Behanan, MP, will roll out Milma’s comprehensive cattle insurance policy on the occasion.
Human resources expert Nirmala Kurien will deliver the Dr Verghese Kurien memorial lecture, recounting the pioneering contributions of her father and social entrepreneur, who enabled India to become the world’s largest milk producer with a strong cooperative dairy movement since 1970, top Milma functionaries said today.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan is among the key speakers at the function which will be chaired by Roji M. John, MLA.
Milma Chairman K.S. Mani, Milma Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (ERCMPU) Chairman M.T. Jayan, Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (TRCMPU) Administrative Committee Convener Mani Viswanath and State Dairy Farmers Welfare Fund Board Chairman V.P. Unnikrishnan, besides functionaries of civic bodies will be present.
KCMMF was established as a state adjunct of the National Dairy Programme ‘Operation Flood’ in 1980 with 450 dairy farmers and producing a total of 52,000 litres of milk. Today, the cooperative societies under Milma total 3,300 and the milk procured has risen to more than 14 lakh litres a day. Every day, Milma distributes more than 17 lakh litres of milk, while its dairy products come out in 100-plus varieties, clocking an annual turnover of Rs 4,000 crore.
By returning to the farmers, 83 per cent of the prices from its milk sales, Milma tops the country’s dairy cooperatives in their payment to dairy farmers affiliated to its network. In fact, when Milma last raised the price of its milk (in December 2022) by six rupees a litre, the federation decided to give 83.75 per cent (Rs 5.02) to the farmers.
An imaginative ‘Repositioning Milma 2023’ programme, which aims at ensuring uniformity in quality, packing and distribution of milk and allied products, also led the KCMMF to launch variety dairy products like dark chocolates and butter biscuits that compete with MNC brands in the market. Milma aims towards more efficient use of the state’s dairy resources and plans to enhance its product inventory in the future with new and innovative dairy products that will increase its market and customer base while consolidating its reputation of delivering quality and healthy products.
With Milma branding even international cricket championships and displaying a promotional video at the Loka Kerala Sabha conclave in the United States this year, the KCMMF has succeeded in accomplishing Dr Kurien’s dream of a complete milk cooperative society of global reputation.
Headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram, Milma had earlier this year successfully resisted the attempted transgressions of milk cooperatives of other states. By raising the issue with the National Dairy Development Board, Milma put a stop on moves towards this unfair marketing practice, which went against federal principles and co-operative ethos.
The press meet was addressed by top Milma functionaries KS Mani, MT Jayan, Mani Viswanath and Milma MD Asif K Yusuf.
