Kochi: With milk demand set to increase during Onam, the dairy development department has initiated a slew of measures to prevent quality compromise and adulteration. Among the initiatives are setting up of milk information centres in all district headquarters and camps with laboratory facilities at border points.
“Around 15 lakh litres of milk on an average is being procured daily, however, the requirement will be three times during the festive season. A significant share will come from neighbouring states, and unscrupulous traders take this as an opportunity to make a huge profit by supplying inferior quality and adulterated milk,” said director Georgekutty Joseph. "Milk quality information centres are being set up in all district headquarters where the quality of all brands is tested. Testing facilities are there for providing results immediately." Special camps with laboratory facilities will also be set at Walayar, Meenakshipuram, Kumili, Aryankavu and Parasala checkpoints through which milk flows into the state mostly.
The samples from vehicles are taken, and those found adulterated or of low quality are denied entry into the state and actions will be initiated against the offenders. “The squad will have officials of the Food Safety department too, and suspicious cases referred to the state dairy lab in Thiruvananthapuram for a detailed inspection,” he said. Meanwhile, the administration is strengthening the infrastructure and testing facilities of the state dairy lab so as to obtain NABL accreditation. “For this, the process is in the final stage, and we’ve availed the help of Kochi-based Central Institute of Fisheries Technology,” he said.
