The Dhanpura Milk Producers' Cooperative has doubled its daily milk collection in two years, to about 18,000 litres, after installing solar-powered chillers at 24 village collection points.
Before the chillers, milk collected in the morning often waited hours in the heat before a truck arrived, and some of it soured. Farmers were paid less for poor-quality milk, or had it rejected.
"The chiller is the cheapest insurance a dairy farmer can buy," said Suresh Modi, the cooperative's chairman, who has kept cattle in Dhanpura for 30 years. "Cold milk keeps its quality, the farmer keeps his money, and the sun pays the electricity bill."
What changed in two years
| Item | Two years ago | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Daily collection (litres) | 9,000 | 18,000 |
| Members | 2,300 | 3,400 |
| Share of women members | 38% | 61% |
| Milk rejected for quality | about 6% | under 1% |
Payments go directly to members' bank accounts every ten days. Mr Modi says this is a big reason more women joined: the cooperative pays the person who registers the animal, and many families chose to register in the woman's name.
The cooperative now wants to add a small plant to make paneer and ghee, so it can earn more from surplus milk in the winter flush. It has also started a veterinary helpline with two doctors on call.
Comments
Comments