NDDB creates brand identity for milk The National Dairy Development Board has created a distinct brand identity for liquid milk marketed by the dairy cooperatives. “This is intended to create product differentiation in the minds of consumers, based on superior quality and uniform package design,” it says. Only those cooperatives which agrees to meet the quality parameters and guidelines laid down by NDDB would be allowed to use the symbol. This is stated in the dairy's Annual Report 2001-02 released today. The package design has been standardized for consumers to identify the type of milk: blue for toned, green for standardized, orange for full-cream, yellow for double-toned and purple for skimmed milk packet. These colours would remain common for all cooperatives. The launch of the ‘milk drop’ symbol during the year was a major success. On the one hand, the NDDB provides technical and financial assistance for upgrading processes, systems and cold chain infrastructure to improve milk quality; on the other, it has, through its newly created subsidiary, Mother dairy Foods Limited, offered its services to state-level cooperatives to improve their marketing efforts by forming joint venture marketing companies. Courtesy: The Economic Times, October 26, '02 Bowing to pressure from all quarters, the Maharashtra Cabinet has reversed its earlier decision of reducing remunerative prices for milk producers. The state Cabinet on August 13 had announced reduction in prices on the basis of fat percentage in milk. The chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, announcing the new prices, said the government received many memorandums in last two months and has decided to reverse its earlier decision. Courtesy: The Economic Times, October 28, '02 Bengal govt. plans to market dairy products to big players West Bengal is now open to selling its dairy products to multinational and Indian companies owning mega-brands. State animal resource development minister said, now West Bengal produces 35 lakh metric tonnes of liquid milk annually. So we need now marketing thrust. Mother Diary is most certainly a popular brand. We are nor trying to develop another brand called ‘Bens’ to sell various products of state's different milk federations. West Bengal, which has 14 milk unions in districts and 2,500 milk societies, will also get into other milk products in attractive packages including sweets, rice pudding, rice powder, dairy whitener, baby food and moulted food. He said that another Rs 10 crore dairy project would come up at Debra in Midnapore West. Courtesy: The Economic Times, October 5, '02 Milk exports may rise India's exports of milk products could get a big boost with European Union likely to issue a notification soon allowing such exports, official sources said. “Until now Indian milk products are not allowed to be exported to the EU. However, we are expecting a notification by the EU soon allowing exports of such products from India”, sources said. Courtesy: The Economic Times, October 4, '02 Dairy development The World Bank has sanctioned a Rs 91 crore scheme for checking the diseases among the milch animals in the state and the state government has already received the first installment from the World Bank, Haryana's minister for state for animal husbandry and diary development said. He disclosed that the state government has taken a series of measures to check the spread of the diseases among the milch animals. Courtesy: The Economic Times, September 25 The dairy industry has asked the government to move WTO against the US decision to protect its domestic dairy sector and create barriers for other countries violating the “spirit and the principle of the constitution of the WTO”. The recently passed US Farm Bill 2002, titled the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, provides for continuation of the existing Milk Price Support Programme (MPSP). Under this, the US Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is committed to buy unlimited quantities of butter, cheese and skimmed milk powder (non-fat dry milk) from dairy plants at prices that enable them to pay a minimum support price for the milk supplied by farmers. (Courtesy- The Economic Times, July, 15) Cheap butter-oil imports unnerve dairy sectorA highly subsidized international trade in milk products which also covers the European Union and the US can erode India’s comparative advantage and competitive strengths in the dairy sector. Dairy industry feels urgent steps need to be undertaken to renegotiate the bound rate of duty in WTO, for dairy products including butter oil to 75% from 40%. Government in the Development SectorThere is a need for a compressive policy to strengthen the milk unions in the states to meet the competition in the market. The States did not have sufficient cold storages to procure the remaining quantity of milk. The unhealthy competition from private dairy operators had made it difficult for co-operative milk unions to market their produce. No details had been made available on the animal census nor the Centre had drawn up any programmes in this regard. In absence of plans and Programmes, the country could not achieve progress in this sector. Union and the State Governments should prepare programmes and projects for all-round development of the dairy Sector.Due to shortage of funds, the department was unable to repair its buildings or vehicles. Even the mobile veterinary hospitals had become defunct.
State dairy development industry has decided to export milk powder, if we are getting good prices. State government, on contradiction to dairy cooperatives has given milk powder preparation to a private dairy. In processing of excess milk government has to bare 2.96 Rs/litre losses. To avoid this it has decided to prepare milk powder through dynamic dairy (Baramati) and if more milk is available, through warana milk federation. This decision will not affect any sale of milk from dairy cooperative. Dodla Dairy establishes a retail chain A leading private sector, in the southern market, Dodla Dairy is establishing a retail chain under the brand, `Dairy Fresh’ for retailing milk and milk-based products, including ice creams. The company’s first outlet has started in Chennai and it plans to have at least 10 outlets in the city within the next few months. Dodla Dairy’s milk sachets are currently retailed in Chennai, Bangalore and Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, where the company’s plant and chilling centres are located. The managing director added that the company will be also provide additional benefits to consumers by way of discounts, along with retailing milk. Besides milk, the outlets will sell other products, including ice creams, yoghurt, butter, ghee and milk shakes. The company also planning to enter Hyderabad and Vijaywada within the next one year and will expand it's market capacity. As part of the expansion plans, the company plans to launch new products, including low lactose milk and flavoured milk. The surplus milk during winter is proposed to be converted as powder and used as whitener, as reported by authority. |
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