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Assam's dairy and organic farming sectors received a major boost with the signing of two crucial Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) at the recently held Advantage Assam 2.0
In a move set to double the milk processing capacity at Purabi Dairy's Panjabari plant in Guwahati, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and West Assam Milk Producers' Cooperative Union Limited (WAMUL) formalized an agreement on February 26. The expansion project, estimated at Rs 100 crore, will increase the plant's capacity from 1.5 lakh liters per day (LLPD) to 3 LLPD, ensuring a steady supply of quality dairy products to meet growing consumer demand. The expansion will also see an increase in fermented milk product production from 20 metric tons per day (MTPD) to 50 MTPD and the establishment of a new ice cream plant with a capacity of 20 TLPD. Along with enhancing the supply chain, this will also ensure better returns for dairy farmers through value-added products. The agreement, signed in the presence of Jogen Mohan, Minister of Cooperation, Pijush Hazarika, Minister of Water Resources, and B Kalyan Chakravarthy, Additional Chief Secretary, Govt of Assam, will play a crucial role in Assam's dairy development, offering enhanced infrastructure and better opportunities for farmers. The signatories of the MoU were V Sridhar, Senior General Manager of NDDB and SK Parida, Managing Director of WAMUL. NCOL, NEDFL to establish Organic Demo Farm cum Food Innovation Hub In another significant development, National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and North East Dairy and Foods Limited (NEDFL), a joint-venture company between Government of Assam and NDDB, have joined hands to establish an Organic Demo Farm cum Food Innovation Hub in Assam. The signatories of the MoU were Vipul Mittal, Managing Director of National Cooperative Organics Ltd (NCOL) and Satya Brata Bose, Managing Director of North East Dairy and Foods Ltd. (NEDFL). The proposed hub will serve as a processing centre for organic raw materials, ensuring value addition and better marketability for farmers across the Northeast region. Additionally, it will host a demonstration farm to promote best practices, innovative techniques, and economic viability in organic farming. Over the next two years, the project aims to train at least 1,000 farmers in organic farming techniques, develop market-ready organic products, and facilitate large-scale commercialization. National Cooperative for Organics Ltd. (NCOL) is backed by Ministry of Cooperation, Govt. of India with National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) as the chief promoter and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation (NCCF), and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED), Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) as the promoter members. The project intends to address challenges such as the lack of organically certified processing centres and limited knowledge dissemination. With NEDFL's extensive farmer network, the initiative is expected to create a sustainable ecosystem by integrating organic farming with cooperative dairy activities. Both projects reflect the government's commitment to strengthening the rural economy and providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to farmers. The initiatives aim to enhance productivity, improve market linkages, and boost local economies by leveraging Assam's rich agricultural and dairy potential. With the Organic Demo Farm cum Food Innovation Hub, farmers will receive crucial training and infrastructure to scale up organic farming, while the expansion of Purabi Dairy will significantly bolster the dairy industry in the region. (ANI)
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