Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt is planning expansion of Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (OMFED) by setting up three new milk plants in Sambalpur, Berhampur, and Balasore.
OMFED, the major dairy producer in the state, will also launch chocolates and mineral water. The govt has decided to transfer money to milk farmers through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT), said fisheries and animal husbandry minister Gokulananda Mallick, after a review meeting Saturday.
“It’s high time for OMFED’s expansion to be initiated. There are plans to set up OMFED parlours in panchayats. These outlets will serve as direct points of sale, reducing distribution costs and ensuring fresh dairy products reach consumers quickly. Three new milk plants will be set up, and the detailed project report for these is being prepared. The new plants will help in providing employment to many and also benefit local dairy farmers,” said Mallick.
The expansion project will create new job opportunities while supporting existing dairy farmers through improved infrastructure and payment systems. The govt is focusing on ensuring the quality of OMFED products, for which CCTVs will be installed in plants, he said.
“For the benefit of farmers, who are the mainstay of OMFED, the govt has asked OMFED to make payments through the DBT system, which will ensure that payments for milk supplied by dairy farmers at panchayat-level milk collection centres are directly credited to their bank accounts,” he added.
Mallick said that for Jagannath Temple in Puri, OMFED provides four tonnes of ghee every day, which will be supplied at a subsidised rate. “The production capacity of each OMFED unit is around 8 tonnes per day, and we can supply ghee to all major temples for daily affairs and their requirements in the state. The govt has written to district collectors to use OMFED ghee for daily rituals and other requirements at religious institutions,” Mallick said.
The OMFED has managed to collect around Rs 82 lakh from the total arrears amounting to Rs 2 crore. Action will be taken against the defaulters if they fail to repay within seven days, the minister added.