TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PONDA: Stating that Goa Dairy had not increased milk prices since the last 18 months and has no intention to do so in the near future, Goa Dairy Chairman Shrikant Naik on Wednesday said that Goa Dairy had introduced a new variety of cow milk at Rs 34 per litre which would be available from June 17.
“After taking over as Goa Dairy chairman last year, there has been no price hike even as other private milk producers have hiked milk prices in the State,” stated Naik, after launching its low fat cow milk packet at its Goa Dairy office in Curti-Ponda.
According to information, the Goa Diary had last hiked the price of milk by Rs 2 in December 2011.
“There is no hike in selling price of milk since the last 18 months. As promised last year, this year too, if everything goes according to plans, we won’t hike the price,” added Naik.
“We had planned systematically which helped as us to reduce the overheads and that is the reason why the selling price of Milk was untouched since the last 18 months. Whereas other private milk processing units have increased prices a couple of times”, said Naik.
According to Naik, the decision to increase price of cattle feed by Rs 2 since February this year helped to reduce the loss by almost Rs 48 lakh per month. “This was done without affecting the milk farmers and as compared to neighbouring states, the prices of cattle feed provided by Goa Dairy is less,” he said.
“We have also taken various other measures aimed at improving economic condition of the Goa Diary and we expect good results.”
The new variety of cow milk costing Rs 34 per litre will be available in the market from June 17 and is the fourth type of milk variety processed and sold by Goa Dairy in the State.
“We have three other varieties in milk – STD milk, full cream and toned milk. This fourth variety cow milk is low fat and there is demand in the market,” he informed. According to Naik, local milk production has also increased compared to last year and dairy on an average processes about 70,000 litres milk per day, which is then sold in the market.
“The Goa Dairy recently received ISO-2200 certification for its milk processing plant and another ISO-2200 certification to its cattle feed plant,” he informed.
