The Hindu

• A total of 2,01,875 litres of milk was produced on Tuesday, May 23.
• The curds-processing team reported that 26,000 litres of curds was produced
• The output of the union in 1980 was 30,000 litres a day
• DKMUL plans to install bulk coolers to increase the shelf life of milk

Mangalore, May 24: The Dakshina Kannada Milk Union Limited (DKMUL) has for the first time achieved a double distinction by producing 2 lac litres of milk and 26,000 litres of curds a day. This is the second highest in the State after Bangalore.

The union's production log on Tuesday showed that 2,01,875 litres of milk was produced. The event was hailed by processing engineers, employees and in-charge Managing Director Kumaraswamy. The curds-processing team also reported that 26,000 litres of curds was produced that day.

Kumaraswamy described the achievement as a "U turn" for the dairy unit. He said even until recently dairy activities were considered as not viable in the district. However, a new generation of dairy farmers had adapted certain techniques of the trade after taking courses on rural development and dairy farming.

Artificial insemination, milch cow development programmes and fodder development techniques had benefited dairy farming in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, he said. All these features had helped increase output from 30,000 litres a day in 1980 to 1 lac litres in 1997, to 1.5 lac litres a day in 2000 and to the present level of 2 lac litres a day, he added. The DKMUL comprises 520 societies. These societies together have a membership of 80,000 in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

Kumaraswamy said that of the 520 societies, 111 were computerised. Another 80 societies would also be computerised shortly. The DKMUL plans to connect all the societies through the Internet, he added.

The DKMUL had plans to install bulk coolers in 60 places across the two districts to store 1.5 lac litres of milk a day. This would improve the shelf life of milk, Kumaraswamy said.

The DKMUL has also emerged as the largest consumer of cattle feed in the State by consuming 4,000 tonnes of cattle feed a month.