Telangana Govt urged to ramp up Vijaya Dairy output

Hyderabad: Dairy farmers of Telangana on Thursday urged the government to increase the production capacity of the Vijaya dairy and introduce more welfare programmes for dairy farmers.

Progressive Dairy Farmers Association president M Jitender Reddy told media that the state required 40 lakh litres of milk every day in which Vijaya dairy is able to procure and market only four lakh litres of milk. “The production of Vijaya dairy has remained the same for the last 10 years,” he said.

Jitender said that in the last 10 years, private milk competitors have occupied the market and left Vijaya dairy in a pathetic condition. "If the situation is allowed to continue, then the government will soon have to shut down Vijaya dairy's operations,” he said.

The dairy farmers appealed to the government to show some concern to the sector and provide subsidy on electricity and feed for animals. Jitender said that young people were running away from dairy profession. “With the poor standards of dairy farming, no youth is showing interest to invest in this sector,” he said.

The members pointing on the corrupt practices of some of the local officials of Vijaya dairy said that in a few procurement centres in rural areas, officials were procuring milk from non-local farmers and providing incentive meant for local farmers.