COVID-19: Dip in milk sales leave 1.5 million farmers in the lurch in Odisha downtoearth.org.in - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from downtoearth.org.in Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Procurement halted due to lockdown
The Congress on Saturday demanded monthly assistance of ₹6,000 to every milk farmer after the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (OMFED) put temporary restrictions on milk procurement during the lockdown.
About 10 lakh milk farmers were facing uncertain future after OMFED and other milk companies brought down procurement from 5 lakh litre per day to 3.5 lakh per day, said Amiya Kumar Patnaik, president of the farmer wing of the Congress.
According to OMFED, milk procurement of the unions is showing an increasing trend and the average procurement is around 5.45 lakh kg per day and on the other hand, the disposal has been reduced significantly from around 3.75 lakh LPD to 2.0 lakh LPD.
When dairy co-ops of Odisha and AP clashed
Gajapati district administration in Odisha has asked local farmers not to get registered with cooperative societies of Andhra Pradesh and sell milk to them, reports New Indian Express.
Odisha officials said strict action will be taken against farmers seeking affiliation with AP’s cooperative bodies. It is worth mentioning that AP’s dairy companies are buying milk from Odisha farmers in Gajapati.
Sources say AP’s dairy companies are threatening the business of the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (OMFED).