Dairy Development Corporation Improves Raw Milk Quality Following Prime Minister's Office Directive

Kathmandu. Following a directive from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the quality of raw milk collected by the Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) has significantly improved. The improvement in quality is due to the strict implementation of standards by the DDC for improving the quality of raw milk.

According to DDC General Manager Dr. Sharan Kumar Pandey, following the Prime Minister's Office's directive, arrangements have been made to immediately remove suspicious milk consignments, and the criteria for 'fat' and 'SNF' in milk procurement have been revised to prioritize the purchase of high-quality milk. DDC's chilling centers collect milk based on fat and SNF, send it for transit, and its quality is re-tested in the laboratory upon reaching the project.

Following the Prime Minister's Office's directive, when the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control tested milk samples on Asar 15, it found milk of lower quality than the details mentioned in the transit by the chilling centers. General Manager Pandey informed that subsequently, all chilling centers were tested, and investigations are ongoing into previously identified suspicious issues.

Taking the deficiencies in milk quality seriously, Prime Minister Balen Shah's Press and Research Expert Deepa Dahal informed that the Prime Minister's Office has directed the Corporation to take immediate corrective measures to take action against whoever is responsible and prevent such activities from recurring in the future.

Following the directive, the chief of the Bharatpur chilling center in Chitwan, responsible for the negligence in collecting low-quality milk, has been removed from responsibility. Explanations have been sought from the heads of other chilling centers within three days. The Corporation has stated that in the future, the project head will be held responsible if any difference is found between the quality test of the chilling center and the laboratory test of the project.

Similarly, Manhari Sharma, an employee working in the project's laboratory, suspected of collusion, has also been removed from responsibility. The Corporation stated that further action against the involved employees will proceed after receiving the explanation. According to DDC, since Asar 18, the quality of milk received at the project has become uniform, and approximately three thousand liters of milk below standard and adulterated have been destroyed after laboratory testing.

The Corporation has also reported significant improvements in payments to farmers and sales distribution. The payment period to 235 dairy cooperatives across the country has been reduced from eight months to within three months. General Manager Pandey stated that efforts are underway to reduce the payment period to 25 days by the first week of Bhadra. Approximately 40 crore rupees have been paid to farmers in the last two months alone.

Sales of DDC dairy products have increased by more than 50 percent compared to the past. Ice cream production, which was halted, has been resumed, and yogurt production and sales targeted for Asar 15 have increased by 75 percent. With the appointment of ten new distributors, an additional sale of approximately 5 million rupees per day is projected. Daily sales revenue has increased by about 2 million rupees, with a target to reach 13 million rupees in daily revenue from Saun.

The Corporation has stated that the final preparations for an agreement to export a minimum of 50 metric tons of ghee annually to Gulf countries are underway. This is expected to generate a business of approximately 50 million rupees annually, and the process of exporting ghee to China is also being advanced.

For institutional reform, two chilling centers with low milk collection have been merged and removed, and two production centers with no potential have been closed. By cutting down the illegal milk and ghee facilities provided to employees, the Corporation's annual expenditure is estimated to decrease by approximately 30 million rupees. The price of milk received by farmers has been increased from 65 rupees per liter to 66 rupees.

Similarly, a new cheese production project is being established in Pashupatinagar, Koshi Province, to double production, and preparations are underway to operate the paneer and cheese production center in Nagarkot, which has been closed for 10 years, from Saun 1. The Corporation has stated that preparations are being made to launch a web-based digital membership and online purchase system and expand dedicated sales counters in the valley.

According to General Manager Pandey, studies and research are being conducted by various bodies to identify problems within DDC, and based on these, a three-month institutional reform action plan has been implemented.