PONDA: Goa Dairy has earned a profit of Rs 4.36 crore for the financial year 2018-19, the annual general body meeting of the milk producer was informed by the Administrator Dr Vilas Naik, on Sunday.
This includes Rs 2.5 crore profit earned by the milk producing plant and Rs 1.86 crore earned by the cattle-feed plant.
Dr Naik informed that the Goa Dairy would distribute major part of this profit as patronage money to the dairy farmers.
The annual meeting that continued till late evening discussed major issues concerning the farmers and the ways of increasing the milk production.
Dr Naik said that Goa Dairy would distribute Rs 1.05 crore to farmers from the profit as patronage amount in the form of price difference, bonus and dividend. The farmers expressed happiness over the progress. It is notable that such benefits were not given to the farmers since past few years.
Addressing the media, Dr Naik said that the profit was earned after he had taken charge as Administrator.
“The AGM has adopted a resolution to distribute major part of the profit as patronage money to the dairy farmers. Currently, 65,000 litres of milk are being sold per day in the Goan market. But we have set a target to increase it in a time frame,” he said.
He also informed that the outstanding due amount from contractors would also be recovered.
Dr Naik said that the farmers had put forth their problems and demanded some schemes from the government to increase the milk production.
Meanwhile, former chairman Rajesh Faldesai alleged that Goa Dairy sale was reduced during term of the Administrator. He said when he was chairman, the dairy sold 72,000 litres of milk per day, which is reduced to 62,000 litres per day, now.
Faldesai said that Goa Dairy earned profit for 2018-19 due to the contribution of BoD when he was the chairman. He took credit for the profit earned during his term.
The Goa Dairy AGM comprises of chairmen of 176 milk supplying societies to Goa Dairy. Of these 176, 143 were present for the meeting. They together represent around 9,500 milk supplying farmers.
Speaking to media, farmer Anup Priolkar said, “We are happy over the progress of Goa Dairy under the Administrator and it is following the path of profit. The Goa Dairy had also made provision to distribute profit to farmers including price difference and bonus. Earlier, we agitated for the removal of MD whose policies were affecting Goa Dairy and now after his removal, we have set new policy for Goa Dairy.”
Priolkar, however, said that the farmers rejected the reasons given by the officials for reduction in sale of milk.”The marketing team should work efficiently to hike the milk sale,” he said.
Another farmers said that the government should conduct elections to the Goa Dairy Board at the earliest, otherwise, he feared, it would soon became like Sanjeevani Sugar Factory.
