NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The Gujarat-based Surat District Cooperative Milk Producers Union will now expand its operations to two-thirds of the state as the state government has accepted the dairy cooperative’s request for expansion into Pernem, Bicholim, Salcete and Ponda talukas.
The new entrant in the Goa’s dairy market began operations in February this year.
Agriculture Minister Ramesh Tawadkar said the SUMUL, which is currently operating in Sanguem, Quepem, Canacona and Sattari talukas, has been permitted by the department to operate in four more talukas.
“The file has been cleared from my department and is now before the Chief Minister,” he added.
Responding to a question on the performance of the SUMUL, Tawadkar said that during the last two years there had been many complaints from farmers as regards the cattle feed and other facilities which Goa Dairy ought to have provided.
“Despite my personal interference and asking them on several occasions to improve, they displayed arrogance and carelessness. Therefore we decided that unless we do not introduce competition we will not be able to provide justice to the farmers,” he observed.
He said that after the SUMUL entry and due to competition between the dairies, the farmers have benefited. The government has maintained that Goa Dairy being a state cooperative should survive. But the way it has been functioning the farmers will suffer, though the cooperative may survive, he added.
Tawadkar said, “…we are going to take every step necessary to safeguard the interests of the farmers. In this context, we increased the support price to the farmers, but even then if the farmers are going to be at the receiving end then it is not good.”
On the recent hike in milk prices by Goa Dairy, the minister said the objective of providing incentives to the farmers through support price and 90 per cent subsidy in the Kamdhenu scheme amongst others, all were directed to provide milk to the people at lower prices.
He said, “But we are not satisfied the way things have been rolling out. We are unhappy with the Goa Dairy, despite the new committee taking over the affairs of the dairy.”
Nevertheless he indicated that the government will put all its efforts in improving the sole state dairy and said, “If they show interest in improving the functioning then we will provide all help possible from our side. I will speak to Cooperation Minister Mahadev Naik and see what best can be done in this context.”