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The Himachal Pradesh government has approved the establishment of new milk processing plants at Nahan, Nalagarh, Mohal and Rohru, along with a milk chilling centre at Jalari (Hamirpur) and a bulk milk cooler at Jhalera (Una).
The move aims to modernise the State's dairy infrastructure, enhance farmers' incomes and strengthen the rural economy. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that over 90 per cent of the State's population resides in rural areas and is engaged in farming, making dairy development a key priority. "The establishment of new plants will increase milk collection, ensure fair returns to farmers and improve the quality standards of milk procurement," he stated. To enhance operational efficiency and ensure transparency, the Himachal Pradesh Milk Federation (Milkfed) will soon roll out an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This digital platform will allow farmers to access essential information directly on their mobile phones, including real-time updates on milk collection, payment status, quality test results and procurement rates. By recording all transactions digitally, the ERP system will minimise manual errors and prevent manipulation. Farmers will be able to keep account of every litre of milk supplied and each payment received. Streamlined record-keeping will also speed up bill processing, enabling direct transfer of payments to farmers' bank accounts. "Due to the earnest efforts of the state government, milk procurement by Milkfed has reached new heights and the quality standards of milk collection have also improved," the Chief Minister said. A state-of-the-art Milk Processing Plant at Dhagwar in the Kangra district is also under construction. Once operational, it will produce curd, lassi, butter, ghee, paneer, flavoured milk, khoya and mozzarella cheese, benefitting the dairy farming community through fair and remunerative prices. The Chief Minister said, "The State Government is committed to uplifting rural livelihoods through sustained investments in animal husbandry and dairy infrastructure." Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in India to introduce a Minimum Support Price (MSP) Scheme for milk procurement. Under the scheme, cow milk is procured at Rs. 51 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs. 61 per litre. Farmers or societies delivering milk to notified collection centres more than 2 km away are also receiving a transport subsidy of Rs 2 per litre. (ANI)
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