The Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Milma) has sought total exemption from ‘triple lockdown’ restrictions clamped on four districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram, holding that the curbs will severely hamper its procurement and distribution operations. In a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Chief Secretary V P Joy, Milma chairman P A Balan Master pointed out that ‘triple lockdown’ would affect the procurement of milk from hundreds of dairy cooperatives in these districts and timely supply of essential items to thousands of households through its network.
He also urged the government to offset the additional cost incurred by Milma by way of turning the unsold surplus it procures from farmers into milk powder and make arrangements for Covid vaccination of the employees of Milma and the co-operatives under it on a priority basis, considering the essential service rendered by them.
Milma procures around 16 lakhs litres of milk from 8 lakh farmers registered with 3500 cooperative societies. There has been a considerable drop in sales due to lock down . It has led to a 400000 LPd of milk surplus with the state Federation Milma.
