Mangaluru : Dakshina Kannada Co-operative Milk Producers Union Ltd (DKMUL) launched 200 gram and 400 grams of Nandini real thick curd and Nandini cream on Monday Nov 17.

KMF President P Nagaraj unveiled the Nandini real thick curd and Nandini cream here at 61st All India cooperative week organised by DKMUL at Kulshekar, Magagaluru.

P Nagaraj said that the KMF will extend its support to the Dakshina Kannada Co-operative Milk Producers Union Ltd (DKMUL) to set up ice cream plant in Mangaluru.

He said that about Rs two crore would be required for the setting up of an ice cream plant. There is demand for ice creams in this coastal belt.

The KMF has launched ‘Nandini Gold,’ a high-nutrition cattle feed made of maize. In the past no quality feed was supplied. As a result, the quality of milk was affected. With the availability of quality milk, the quality of products will also increase. The KMF will give priority to quality feed.

As much as 2.5 lakh tonnes of maize was required for producing high-nutritious cattle feed. It has been proposed that corn should be purchased from farmers directly. If the proposal is approved, then the cost of feed will come down, he said.

The KMF President said that mega dairy unit will come up in North Karnataka region at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore. “We will impress upon the CM to release atleast Rs 30 crore for the project. With Ksheera Bhagya scheme, the State government is purchasing eight lakh litre milk from milk producers union. I have appealed to the CM to increase the supply of milk to schoolchildren under Ksheera Bhagya scheme for two more days.”

SCDCC Bank President M N Rajendra Kumar said that Nandini curd will be purchased for the forthcoming Mahamastakabhisheka at Karkala.

Ganjimutt Milk Producers Cooperative Society member Rajesh Nayak who was felicitated for supplying 560 litre milk per day to society, said “inspite of support from the government we have failed in reaching self-sufficiency in milk production in Dakshina Kannada district. Agriculture and dairy farming are like two faces of a same coin. No good breed of cow is available in the district, for those who wish to rear cattle for livelihood. There is a need to develop local breed.”

In his introductory remarks, DKMUL President Raviraj Hegde said there are 673 milk producers cooperative societies in DK and Udupi. A total of 2,82,870 litre milk is procured daily.

“A new dairy unit will come up at Uppoor in Udupi district. The KMF should support the DKMUL in setting up of the unit. Seven more bulk milk coolers will be set up. The work on flexi pack unit is in progress and is likely to be ready in a year.”

The real thick curd is prepared from toned milk. It can be stored for 15 days in four degree celsius. It has three per cent fat and 12 per cent SNF.

Hegde said that Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district faces acute shortage of fodder for cattle. He appealed to the government to hand over gomala land to the milk producers society to grow fodder. The illegal transportation and theft of cattle has affected milk production in undivided Dakshina Kannada district. Measures should be taken to check illegal transportation of cattle. Quality feed should be supplied to the dairy farmers at reasonable price.

Anjana Mali and Apoorva Mali performed magic tricks to unveil the newly released products.