Visakha Dairy plans plant in E Godavari

Sri Vijaya Visakha Milk Producers Company Limited (Visakha Dairy) has proposed to set up a milk handling automatic plant, at an investment of Rs 5-7 crore, at Rangampet village, 22 km from Rajahmundry.

With this, the dairy expects to handle 2 lakh liters of milk in the East Godavari district.

The company has already bought 20 acres of land for the purpose. "Environment and town planning clearances have been obtained. Work on the plant will begin within six months,'' said PV Ramana, senior manager of Visakha Dairy, East Godavari branch.

The dairy sees its transportation troubles ending with the coming up of the plant. Besides, there would be no need for importing milk from Visakhapatnam for East Godavari.

On an average, the company procures 1,12,500 litres of milk per day from farmers. Last year's procurement average was 1, 05,000 litres. While the company sold 75,000-1 lakh litres of milk per day in 2005-06, this year it sold 94,000-1,12,000 liters.

In view of the increasing demand in both sales and procurement, the company has opened two bulk milk centres in the district at Pedapudi and Mummidivaram villages at a cost of Rs 25 lakh each. The Pithapuram bulk milk centre would be opened soon.