Guwahati: Purabi Dairy, a leading player in Assam's dairy industry, has donned a new avatar following an investment of Rs 47 crores. A revamped facility in Guwahati, inaugurated on Saturday by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma under the Vikas Yatra, now features advanced ice cream, paneer, and curd processing units.
The facility has been installed with a Concentrated Solar thermal System to harness 10 lakh Kcal of energy, translating into direct savings of Rs 4 lakh per month in fuel costs. The expansion, aimed at empowering local dairy farmers and providing nutritious products, aligns with the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat and aims to foster economic resilience and self-sufficiency.
With the newly inaugurated plant, the milk processing capacity is set to skyrocket to 1.5 lakh liters.
Biswa Sarma, during the inauguration, launching Purabi ice cream and stressed the need to accelerate dairy production and set a target of 10 lakh liters.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launching Purabi Dairy products
The Assam Government's joint venture with National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) marked a significant milestone, with the inauguration of the company's first commercial product.
Meenesh Shah, Chairman of the NDDB West Assam Milk Producers' Co-operative Union Ltd (WAMUL), outlined the transformative impact of the new plant. "The upgraded facility will process 1.5 lakh liters of milk daily, a substantial leap from the previous 60,000 liters. Additionally, the plant will produce 10 MT of curd, 10,000 liters of lassi, and 2 tonnes of paneer per day. A state-of-the-art ice cream plant within the facility will add 2000 liters of ice cream, available in various flavors", he said.
In a move to support dairy farmers, CM Sarma announced a Rs 5 additional benefit on each liter of milk for organized sector farmers, beginning next year. This is in addition to the existing rates provided by various dairy cooperatives.
WAMUL also declared an increase in the basic milk procurement price by Rs 1 per liter, effective from March 1, 2024.
Sarma revealed the state government's commitment to fund the development of milk processing units in Jorhat and Dibrugarh, adding that the new JV company would extend its operations to Barak Valley, Lakhimpur-Dhemaji, and Nagaon.
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Agriculture & AHVD Minister Atul Bora has also highlighted the state government's support for NDDB in scaling up milk production.
Purabi, the brand name for milk and dairy products manufactured by WAMUL, is one of the largest and most active dairy units in North East India. Managed by NDDB since 2008, Purabi Dairy has experienced remarkable growth. Initially procuring a modest 400 kg of milk per day, the dairy has expanded to now handle over kg daily, benefitting approximately 30,000 dairy farmers organized into 800-plus cooperative societies across 21 districts.
Over the years, this processing facility has emerged as WAMUL's primary revenue source, contributing to a sales turnover exceeding Rs 200 crore in the fiscal year ending March 2023 - the highest in WAMUL's history. Furthermore, the plant's success has elevated WAMUL into the category of dairies consistently selling over 1 lakh liters of milk and milk-equivalent products daily.
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