JOIN USDakshina Kannada Milk Union Limited (DKMUL) released the quality mark logo at a programme organised at Hotel Ocean Pearl in Mangaluru on Wednesday.
DKMUL is among the 220 cooperative milk unions operating in the country and the fifth union to get certified in Karnataka among 14 milk unions under KMF. The union has also been given the National Excellence Award instituted by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in the category of dairy plants handling 1-5 lakh litres of milk per day.
Deputy Commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesha released the quality mark logo on the occasion. The quality mark certificate was handed over to DKMUL president Raviraj Hegde, by Suresh Jaisinghani, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) senior manager.
Jaisinghani said that KMF has received 11 of the 21 awards instituted by the NDDB. Quality mark was established by NDDB two years back. The award comes with a logo which assures customers of the quality of milk. The quality mark scheme was introduced in order to give distinct identity to cooperative dairy sector and to develop quality culture among cooperatives to facilitate enhanced consumer confidence. The scheme is monitored by management committee members comprising the representatives from DADF, FSSAI and managing directors of four state milk federations.
The award of quality mark will be valid for three years, provided the quality and the food safety standard are maintained.
DKMUL president Raviraj Hegde said that in 1986, the milk procured by the DKMUL was 4,500 kilo per day. Now, the union produces 4,11,000 KPD of milk through 7070 dairy cooperative societies. Mangalore dairy, Manipal dairy and Puttur chilling centre of DKMUL have the capacity of 2,50,000 LPD, 80,000 LPD and 30,000 LPD respectively.
During its beginning days, there was dependency of 80% by the DKMUL on the neighbouring dairies. But, now the dependency has reduced to 5 to 6%.
Projects
The construction of a new dairy with a capacity of 2.5 lakh litre per day at a cost of Rs 87.25 crore in Udupi and the implementation of cloud-based software for covering all activities right from farmer to consumer are going on.
The future projects of DKMUL are the setting up of an ice cream plant at the Manipal dairy, addition of bulk milk coolers annually for 100% coverage, based on procurement growth and introduction of new milk products.
He handed the credit to the DKMUL staff, 1,36,000 members and dairy farmers. He also requested the district administration to provide a land to Nandini parlours.
KMF quality control director Nataraj, managing director Dr BV Satyanarayana, DKMUL former president Seetharam Rai Savanalu, DKMUL directors Diwakar Shetty, Surya Shetty and Janaki Hande and Cooperative Societies deputy registrar B K Salim were present.