Milk procurement up, sales falling due to lockdown: GCMMF

Ahmedabad, Apr 18 () The Gujarat Cooperative MilkMarketing Federation (GCMMF), the owner of 'Amul' brand,said on Saturday that it is procuring 15 per cent more milkthan year ago at 255-260 lakh litres per day.

While the sale of milk pouches, flavoured milk and icecream was down due to lockdown, milk procurement had increasedbecause it was also buying milk from private milk producers,the federation said.

The sale of paneer and ghee had also increased, itadded.

The quantity of milk sold in pouches has fallen from140 lakh litres per day in March 2020 to 125 lakh litres inApril, mainly because hotels and catering firms have closed,GCMMF said in a release.

Migration of urban population to rural areas has alsoaffected the sale of pouched milk, it said.

The sale of ice cream and flavoured milk has decreasedby as much as 85 and 70 per cent, respectively, compared tothe same period last year, it said.

On the other hand, sale of paneer, ghee, butter andmilk sold in tetrapack has gone up by 15-50 per cent, theGCMMF said.

"Milk procurement at around 255-260 lakh litres perday is around 15 per cent more compared to the same month lastyear," the release said.

"Amul milk cooperatives are also procuring milk fromprivate milk producers as per the direction of the government.Collection has also increased as private businesses and sweetshops cannot run their operations during lockdown," it said.

To handle increased supply, the GCMMF has rented milkprocessing plants outside Gujarat, it said.

It has asked its member milk farmers to takeprecautions to avoid coronavirus infection, the federationsaid.

GCMMF's member cooperatives have donated Rs 15 croreto the CM's and PM's relief funds, it said. KA PDKRK KRK