The Hindu : National : `India should tap dairy markets in Pakistan, Sri Lanka'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004

National

National

`India should tap dairy markets in Pakistan, Sri Lanka'

By Our Special Correspondent

Verghese Kurien

CHENNAI, JULY 27. India should capitalise on its strategic location to capture the dairy markets of neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka, according to the chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, Verghese Kurien.

Moreover, India is occupying the top position in milk production at the international level with a good network of rural milk societies. This should help the country make a foray into the neighbouring countries, Dr. Kurien told presspersons here today.

Already, the National Dairy Development Board had planned a Rs. 10-crore plant in Sri Lanka, which was now importing 53,000 tonnes of milk powder annually.

"It is our desire to build, operate and gift the plant to Sri Lanka," said Dr .Kurien. Till the plant became operational, India would supply milk to Sri Lanka, hopefully through the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation, which was close to the island.

Milk societies

The Board would set up cooperative milk societies at villages in Sri Lanka, especially in the north, to provide job opportunities. This could help reduce terrorist activities. He hoped that the dairy would start functioning in a year.

Mr. Kurien said that when he visited Pakistan as a member of the World Bank mission he found there was a vast scope for exporting dairy products to that country. All these markets could be tapped.

Not for monopoly

However, he was not for India monopolising the dairy business in the neighbouring countries.

He wanted them to replicate India's model to provide more employment opportunities in rural areas.

Earlier, addressing the members of the Rotary Club of Madras, Dr. Kurien regretted that that it was unfortunate that the cooperative movement was not getting due respect in the country.

The secret of Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL) was its marketing strategy.

Amul with an annual turnover of Rs. 2,500 crores was spending Rs. 25 crores annually for advertising its products. One should name its products and sell it under a brand name.

That was one reason for the success of Amul, he said.

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