Milk-pouring farmers want the Amul model of cooperative set-up and systems to be revived in the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation (TNCMPF).
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This includes visits of veterinarians to farms to treat cattle in case of emergencies, provision of free medicines on a regular basis, installation of trevis (the steel frame inside which the cattle are made to stand during treatment) at primary cooperative societies and measurement of fats and solids non-fat in milk using ISI formula in place of the Richmond formula being used presently.
M. G. Rajendran, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Milk Producers’ Welfare Association, said that after the State’s first zonal office of the National Dairy Development Board was established at Erode in the 1970s and milk-pouring farmers were being canvassed to join primary cooperative societies, these incentives were provided to farmers.
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“Aavin must realise that for dairy farmers, the well-being of animals is the first and foremost among their concerns. During the White Revolution, Dr. Kurien underscored the need for the welfare of milch animals. In many cases veterinarians at Aavin are only working in administrative capacities,” he said.
Sekar, a dairy farmer from Salem, said the cooperative bylaws must be changed to prevent political appointments for posts of chairmen and presidents in the federation. At present, the stipulation is that the person should have supplied 300 litres of milk or served as a member for 120 days. This should be changed so that both are made conditions, he demanded.
Another milk farmer from Namakkal pointed out that Amul had not been able to make inroads in Karnataka since the cooperative structure was strong and only milk-pouring farmers were elected as officials. There were no political appointments there. Karnataka’s cooperative federation managed to climb to becoming India’s second largest cooperative dairy federation due to this and several other factors, he added.