State dairy development minister Mano Thangaraj said Aavin has increased its milk procurement to 36 lakh litres per day.
Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore after a review meeting with Aavin officials on Sunday, he said the daily procurement would touch 40 lakh litres of milk procurement in a week or two.
“Simultaneously, we are making efforts to increase our infrastructure to handle 70 lakh litres per day,’’ he said.
To a query, he said Amul’s foray into Tamil Nadu was not a threat to Aavin. “There is no need to worry about other products. This is a free market. Our products have greater scope than anyone else,” he said.
He said Aavin was sold at competitive prices, offers quality products and has a wider delivery chain. For the farmers, TN govt gives loans, subsidies and animal care which makes Aavin their preferred buyer of milk. “So, no threat from Amul or any other brand,” he said, adding Aavin will also launch newer products.
There have been requests for minor changes to the existing product portfolio, he said. “There is a request for ghee in sachets. People want increased shelf life. So, we are studying the possibilities without adding chemical preservatives,” he said.
In a bid to help farmers, the govt is also exploring the feasibility of providing affordable fodder as pastoral land has reduced, he said.
Also, the govt was working on optimisation of per capita cattle yield. He said a cow gives on average 5 to 6 litres in TN, whereas in developed countries it gives 35 litres per day. “We have to increase it to 10 to 15 litres per day. We are making efforts on that front too,” he said.
