Aavin to intensify milk procurement drive across State

VELLORE: The Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation (Aavin) has reportedly planned to intensify the procurement after it came to light that the milk major was only tapping 12 per cent of the total production in the State.

A circular from Aavin Managing Director S Vineet to all district milk producers’ union general managers (GM) dated August 21 clearly stated that other than the essential staff all others should be seconded for milk procurement in the morning session. GMs were also told that the present habit of keeping one or two procurement staff at the headquarters should be dispensed with and measures to improve procurement quantum should continue to reach August 2022 level.

This follows the revelation that during August 2022 average milk procurement which was 38.21 lakh litres had come down to 28.78 lakh litres which was a reduction of around 24.7 per cent.

While Vellore and Ranipet districts had a total milk production of 11.18 lakh litres in 2022-23, only 10 per cent was procured by milk societies in both districts and only 9 per cent was procured by the district milk union.

In Tiruvannamalai the available milk production of 18.36 lakh litres in 2022-23, 16 per cent was procured by societies while the district union procured only 14 per cent. In milk sale, Tiruvannamalai recorded highest volume in 2023 compared to previous year. While the sale volume in 2022 was 11,600 litres, it was 15,539 litres in 2023, an increase of 33.95 per cent. Reduced sales were seen in Thoothukudi, Nilgiris, Tirunelveli and Madurai.

The MD also ordered that other than essential staff, all others should visit village societies both in the morning and evening. There was ample scope to improve procurement as 8,000 revenue villages still had no milk societies, Vineet said and added that there could be some let-off only if the present procurement reached the August 2022 level.