Amul inspires Kashmir milk farmers

Calcutta News.Net
Tuesday 13th January, 2009 (IANS)

Milk farmers from Jammu and Kashmir, who were on a visit to the state of 'white revolution', feel inspired by their Gujarati counterparts for their success in creating Amul as one of Asia's largest milk brand.

At least 50 milk producers of Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers' Co-operative Ltd (JKMPCL) came on a five-day Amul Yatra in the first week of January to study a model of milk production.

Amul (Anand Milk Union Ltd.), based in Anand, was a dairy cooperative movement started in 1946. It is a brand now managed by an apex cooperative organisation, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF).

'The level of efficiency at the grassroots level is amazing and impressive and I hope I could see the same in Jammu and Kashmir,' said Mohammed Amin Ganai, chairman Jandwal Milk Producers Cooperative Ltd.

During their stay Jan 5-9, the milk farmers from Kashmir visited Amul dairy and museum, a cattle feed factory at Kanjari, the Amul Research and Development Association at Ode, and the Mother Dairy at Gandhinagar.

'The 27 lakh (2.7 million) milk producers in Gujarat have shown the way by creating Asia's largest milk brand, Amul. It has motivated us to achieve the same success in our state,' said Ranjit Singh, who heads the Chaigwan Milk Producers Cooperative Ltd.

'It is essential to build faith among farmers of Jammu and Kashmir in the cooperative system so as to achieve the success rate seen in Gujarat,' said Singh.

The highlight of the visit was the interaction between the milk farmers of Kashmir and the milk producers of Sandeshar and Vadod village dairy cooperative societies.

GCMMF chairman Parthibhai Bhatol welcomed the visitors. The GCMMF was instrumental in reviving the ailing dairy cooperative sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The apex body of milk unions of Gujarat signed an agreement with the Jammu and Kashmir government in 2004.

The Kashmiri milk farmers had an interaction with B.M. Vyas, managing director GCMMF, who recalled the history of village dairy cooperatives in Gujarat.

JKMPCL has emerged as a viable profit-making organization and has been successful in marketing its products under its brand name Snowcap.

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