Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai has called on the Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Producers' Union Ltd (DKMUL) to establish a milk processing plant in Puttur. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Rai stated that directors from the region also support the proposal for setting up a plant in Puttur.
Current milk procurement and transport challenges
The DKMUL sources a significant portion of its milk from regions including Belthangady, Sullia, Puttur, Vittal, and surrounding areas. Additionally, the union procures milk from Hassan. Currently, milk collected from these areas is transported to Mangaluru for processing and then sent back. This back-and-forth transport increases costs and inefficiencies.
Rai noted that based on a request from DKMUL, 10 acres of land had been sanctioned for the union to set up a plant in Puttur. However, the decision was later changed in favor of a plant in Bantwal.
Issues with existing Mangaluru plant
The existing DKMUL plant in Mangaluru operates on government land. Residents nearby have lodged complaints about unpleasant odors emanating from the facility. The plant also faces water scarcity, currently relying on tankers for supply. Furthermore, waste disposal has become a persistent problem, the MLA pointed out.
Rai argued that setting up a plant in Puttur would be financially viable for DKMUL, as it would reduce transportation costs and alleviate the operational issues faced by the Mangaluru plant.
DKMUL president's response
However, DKMUL president Raviraj Hegde stated that the union has not yet made any decision regarding a plant in Puttur. He acknowledged that milk procurement in Puttur and surrounding regions is higher, but emphasized that the union has a substantial market of 2.23 lakh liters of milk in the Mangaluru region. "When there is a plant in Mangaluru, setting up another mega dairy in Puttur will increase the cost of production," Hegde added.
