Sukhu lays foundation stone of milk processing plant at Dhagwar

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today laid the foundation stone of milk processing plant with a capacity to process 1.50 lakh litres milk per day in Dhagwar area of Kangra district.

He said the plant’s initial processing capacity of 1.50 lakh litres per day can be expanded to 3 lakh litres per day. “Once operational, the Dhagwar Milk Processing Plant will significantly strengthen the economy of farmers in Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Chamba and Una districts, benefiting over 35,000 milk producers,” he said.

He said in addition to boosting the income of milk producers, the plant will create employment opportunities in milk collection, processing, quality control and distribution. It will also generate indirect jobs in sectors such as transportation, supply chain management and maintenance services.

The Chief Minister said the entire funding for the construction of this plant was being provided by the state government and it will be completed by February 2026 and farmers will receive payments of Rs 40 lakh daily.

Sukhu said after the increase in milk rates, Milkfed’s daily milk procurement has risen from 1,40,000 litres to 2,10,000 litres. The advanced milk processing plant will process 1.50 lakh litres of milk daily, producing a wide range of dairy products, including curd, lassi, butter, ghee, cheese, flavoured milk, khoya and mozzarella cheese, he said.

He said that the capacity of the milk processing plant in Duttnagar, Shimla district, has been increased from 20,000 litres to 70,000 litres per day at a cost of Rs 25.67 crore. This enhanced capacity is benefiting dairy farmers in Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, and Kinnaur districts with around 20,000 farmers associated with 271 dairy cooperative societies reaping the rewards.

Sukhu said to ensure more money reaches in the hands of rural people, the government has increased the minimum support price of cow’s milk from Rs 32 to Rs 45 per litre and buffalo’s milk from Rs 47 to Rs 55 per litre. The state government is making earnest efforts over the past two years to make Himachal Pradesh a self-reliant and one of the most prosperous states in the country, he said.

Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, vice chairman of the State Planning Board Bhawani Singh Pathania and Deputy Chief Whip in Himachal Kewal Singh Pathania were also present on the occasion.