PONDA: Goa Dairy workers are in panic mode after the government granted permission to Gujarat-based Surat District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited (SUMUL) to implement its schemes and establish large scale dairy farms in Goa. They feel that SUMUL’s entry will directly affect their jobs, and hence, they are under tremendous pressure.
The workers have also claimed that they are unable to speak openly on the issue at present due to fear of retaliation from the government. However, they added that their voices would not be suppressed for long as the media and politicians had shown concern and support to them. They will announce their plan to deal with the issue within a few days.
The workers further stated that MLAs, during the ongoing Assembly session, had highlighted the threat to Goa Dairy workers due to the entry of SUMUL. The workers, while initially afraid to raise their voice, are now getting ready to oppose SUMUL’s entry. They have also claimed that the Goa Dairy Board of Directors had not dared to speak against the government, fearing a backlash.
Goa Dairy MD Navso Sawant said that after the government’s notification to allow SUMUL to establish its business in Goa, the Goa Dairy Board of Directors held a meeting to discuss the threat posed by its new competitor. The BoD concluded that SUMUL’s entry would be dangerous for Goa Dairy’s existence, and therefore, it decided to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Cooperation Minister and Animal Husbandry Minister asking them to withdraw the notification. The memorandum will be submitted when the Assembly session ends.
Goa Dairy Chairman Baburao Desai said the BoD has discussed the issue and will put its views before the government while asking it to withdraw the notification.
Meanwhile, a former Goa Dairy chairman, on condition of anonymity, said that “Goa Dairy will definitely suffer and I have doubts about its existence after large-scale production and competition by its new competitor.
Cautioning the local dairy farmers about the new development, he claimed that the dairy farmers would get a good rate initially, but this phase would not last long. He stated that middlemen who would collect milk would become the “boss” after some time and they would create a monopoly and decide the rates for farmers who supplied milk.
He further stated that many dairy farmers are members of societies, which in turn are members of Goa Dairy, and hence, they can put forth their grievances before Goa Dairy and fight for good rates, and subsidies on milk supplies and fodder. He stated that SUMUL would definitely try to attract the farmers by procuring milk at better rates, but in the long run, the farmers would suffer in the event of a monopoly by the new dairy company.
Meanwhile, Vilasrao Rane, Chairman of the Khadki Milk Producer’s Society in Sattari stated that SUMUL’s entry would adversely affect the dairy organizations from remote areas.
Urging the people to oppose the government’s decision, he said that milk producers had strongly supported Goa Dairy in the last few years, and that SUMUL would ensure the closure of remote dairy organisations.
Rajashree Dhuri, chairman of a Sattari-based milk producer’s society, has demanded that the government withdraw its notification in the interest of the local milk producers. He said, “When everything is going smoothly, why is there a sudden decision by the government to create problems for milk producers from across the state? Goa Dairy is the backbone of milk producers, and the government’s decision to in favour of SUMUL will break this backbone. I demand that the government review its decision for the benefit of common milk producers.
