Union Minister reviews Aavin's schemes

Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Fisheries, Livestock and Dairy development L Murugan reviewed Central government funded development schemes in Erode Aavin ( Erode district Coop Milk Producers Union) on Monday by visiting the dairy of the Aavin at Chithodu, Erode. 

The officials told him the union is the first one certified with ISO 22000: 2018 by the Centre for food exports. Around 2.02 lakh litres of milk is procured daily now and sent to 52 bulk milk coolers. 30,000 kg of cream, 12 mt of butter per day, 7.4 m tons of ghee, 3 lakh litre milk powder  besides many value added products are produced.  Aavin has 27,302 milk supply members in 514 milk producers' co-operative societies. 
If need be more societies would be opened. In addition, 2,835 liters of buffalo milk, 40,897 liters of condensed milk and 28,018 liters of fat milk are being sold daily by 108 milk parlours and 298 agents.

 900 tons of cattle feed is sold monthly to milk producers.  In addition, 10 tonnes of mineral salt is sold at Rs. 50 per kg.  18,879 artificial insemination was done in 280 societies for the past 1 year. First cattle feed production plant was started in Erode Aavin. It has been upgraded at an estimated cost of Rs 340 crore and the capacity has been doubled to 300 MT per day. 

Centre and state's help was sought to hike the production of it by another 100 tons. Since 2004 to 2021, it received Rs 42.06 cr grant to replace many old machines. Of Rs 340 cr also,  the Centre and state's share is equal. 
 

The Aavin's accumulated loss is Rs 55-60 cr and steps are taken to reduce the loss by ousting temporary workers and engaging more agents/parlours to sell Aavin milk. Till March 24, milk suppliers dues were cleared. It was exporting over 2-3 tons of ghee per month to many nations. Its sales rose from 6300 to 72000 litres per day after the DMK rule came to power. 

It offered artificial insemination injections to produce hi breed calf to 11650 ryots for the past 3 years. Under the Centre's Kisan Credit Card scheme (KCC), Rs 20 cr was given to 8500 ryots to maintain the cattle as loan from the nationalised banks with 3 percent interest subvention out of 7 percent interest from Nov 15 to Feb 15. 
There is no proposal to produce and sell A2 milk of native breeds as many ryots have hi-breed animals.

 The government reduced milk price by Rs 3 per litre and its subsidy to compensate the loss to Aavin in this regard  is expected. MLA Dr CK Saraswathi, Collector H Krishnanunni,  Milk Commissioner Dr G Prakash, Aavin chairman KK Kaliyappan, general manager Balasubramaniam, and many officials attended the function.