Guwahati, May 1: Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma today addressed milk cooperative unions from across all Northeast states who took part in the North East Dairy Cooperative Conclave 2022 in Guwahati.
West Assam Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Ltd (WAMUL), popularly known as Purabi Dairy, hosted the first-ever North East Dairy Cooperative Conclave 2022 at the Srimanta Shankardev Kalakshetra Auditorium in Guwahati , in collaboration with National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India Limited (NCDFI), to bring together dairy cooperatives from all across Northeast.
Assam Minister for Agriculture AHVD and Cooperation, Shri Atul Bora, Shri Meenesh Shah, Chairman NDDB and Shri Satish Marathe, Director, Reserve Bank of India graced the conclave as Guests of Honour.
The conclave was also attended by Shri Shamalbhai Patel, Chairman, GCMMF, Shri Mangal Jit Rai, Chairman NCDFI, Shri Rajesh Parjane, Chairman, Godavari Milk Union. Besides, concerned senior officials of Govt. of Assam and dairy farmer representatives and officials of dairy cooperative unions of Northeast states took active part in the conclave.
Apart from them, around 500 dairy farmers from Assam and around 100 farmers from other Northeast states took part in the event. Representatives from Gomati Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd (Tripura), Manipur Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Ltd (Manipur).
The Sikkim Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd (Sikkim), Mizoram Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Ltd (Mizoram), Dimapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd (Nagaland), East Khasi Hills District Cooperative Milk Union Ltd (Meghalaya) and Arunachal Pradesh Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd (Arunachal Pradesh) took active part in the deliberations.
During the conclave a cattle feed manufacturing facility of Purabi Dairy was inaugurated by Hon’ble CM of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma that will be supplying Purabi Daana to the dairy farmers of Purabi Dairy. Further, the conclave also witnessed signing of the tripartite agreement between Govt. of Assam, NDDB and East Assam Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Ltd. (EAMUL), Jorhat for managing EAMUL by NDDB for a period of five years.
During the conclave, CM Assam showed optimism to the dairy development of the region and assured that soon people of the region would see a sea change in the dairy sector in this region.
On this occasion, Mr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB reaffirmed its commitments to dairy development in Assam and entire North East. He specifically highlighted the responsibility entrusted by Chief Minister of Assam to widespread dairy development in the State with the objectives to boost milk production in the State, expand the coverage of dairy cooperatives and at the same time, to provide quality and safe milk and milk products to the consumers.
Shri Shah also mentioned that the dairy development in State will be undertaken through various activities like animal induction, productivity enhancement of existing milch animals supported by scientific feeding and health management, cooperative institution building in the villages to provide round the year market access to dairy farmers and creation of dairy processing infrastructure across the State.
He indicated that these multifaceted interventions will be undertaken by a Joint Venture that is being formed between Government of Assam and NDDB. Moreover, the conclave emphasized the importance of doubling of farmers’ income through dairy through allied activities like bee keeping and production of bio manure and usage of biogas and production of slurry-based bio manure for usage of dairy farmers.
Ceremonial distribution of certificates to beneficiaries of biogas and organic manure projects implemented by Purabi Dairy with financial support from NDDB and Sustain Plus Energy Foundation (an affiliate of Tata Trusts) was done by Hon’ble CM, Assam.
The conclave discussed various dairy related schemes, initiatives and interventions which are proving to be hugely beneficial for the dairy farmers of the region. The conclave highlighted the importance of cooperatives that are playing a critical role in sustainable dairy farming by small and marginal dairy farmers in Northeast Region of our country.
Speaking about organizing the first-ever North East Dairy Cooperative Conclave, Shri Satya Brata Bose, Managing Director, WAMUL, said: “We are pleased to bring together a number of major dairy cooperatives working in the Northeast region. This conclave has provided an effective platform for all the Northeast India states to take cue out of dairy development model for enhancing the lives and livelihoods of their own dairy farmers.”
Shri Mangal Jit Rai, Chairman, NCDFI emphasized that the network of institutional structure to promote cooperative dairying in the Northeast states has been less dense in comparison to elsewhere in the country and needs to be improved.
Similarly, the NCDFI chairman also emphasized on the need of good governance in dairy cooperatives, initiatives for member welfare to create belongingness, development of relevant and required infrastructure to organize the milk supply chains apart from the importance of adoption of technologies in production, processing and marketing of milk and milk products.
“The dairy cooperatives in the Northeast region should create niche market for their products. They should utilize the services of NCDFI eMarket to procure various raw materials and dispose-off the milk products in bulk by taking advantage of the efficient price discovery mechanism on the platform,” he said.
