The climate in Uttarakhand is ideal for organic milk production and the decision of the State Government to promote organic farming is a welcome step, said the founding chairman and managing director (CMD) of Ananda dairy Radhey Shyam Dixit while interacting with The Pioneer on the margins of the Investors Summit on Monday.
Notably, enthused by the Uttarakhand Government’s investor friendly policies, Ananda dairy has decided to invest Rs 200 crore in the State. He said that Uttarakhand has vast potential to develop into a leading producer of milk. He also offered expertise of his company in providing support in breed and feed development.
Dixit said that the State Government has announced to set up organic farming clusters in the State which would help the dairy industry to market the milk produced here as truly ‘Organic Milk’.
He said that the organic milk would be a high- end product for niche segment only. Ananda dairy has 40 percent market share in Uttarakhand with an annual sale of Rs 3500 crore in the State.
Dixit said that with about 15 percent of the total milk consumed being produced in Uttarakhand, the State through some measures can become a milk sufficient State. “For achieving the goal of being milk sufficient State, the Government here should work in backward integration mode to develop the diary industry,’’ he said.
Dixit added that his company purchases milk from 5000 villages of Uttar Pradesh on a unique self-help group model. He, further, said that his company has 33 chilling plants and is planning to soon raise the number of its outlets to 500.
Lauding the Uttarakhand Government for hosting the first Investors Summit, Dixit said that the event has immensely helped in building confidence among the entrepreneurs for investing in the State. “This is indeed a big achievement and it augurs well for the industrial future of the State,” he added.