Milk chilling machine bought by cooperative lies unused

By Our Correspondent,Jajarkot, Mar. 8: The chilling vat machine purchased by a cooperative for milk collection has remained unused in Jajarkot district.  

The chilling vat purchased by Panchase Multipurpose Cooperative of Nalgad Municipality-5 has been brought into operation, while the similar machine purchased by Kasturi Multipurpose Cooperative in Bheri Municipality-4 has not been brought into use.

Four years ago, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development under the Karnali Province government gave Rs. 5 million each to purchase the chilling vat machine required for milk collection for the two chilling centres of the two cooperatives. 

According to Raju KC, manager of Kasturi Multipurpose Cooperative, the cooperative had purchased the chilling vat with a capacity of 2,000 litres. The cooperative targeted to purchase 2,000 litres of milk with a plan to supply 500 litres of milk to the district headquarters, Khalanga, and 1,000 litres to Surkhet and 500 litres for making butter and chhurpi.

However, they were unable to bring the machine into use as they failed to find consumers for 2,000 litres of milk.  Now Kasturi Multipurpose Cooperative is trying buy a smaller machine. 

“Discussions are underway with the Animal Hospital and Animal Service Office to purchase a small machine and bring it into operation,” KC said. 

Chief of the Animal Hospital and Animal Service Office Kapil Prasad Upadhyay said that Kasturi Multipurpose Cooperative and Panchase Multipurpose Cooperative purchased chilling vat machines in the same fiscal year. 

The chilling vat machine brought by Kasturi Multipurpose Cooperative has not been put into use, he said. “We have urged them to operate the machine no matter what its capacity is.” 

He said that it would be beneficial to bring the machine into operation rather than saying it is too big. 

“They are talking about purchasing a small machine, but the office does not have the budget. So we have requested them to use the same machine,” Upadhyay said.

Panchase Multipurpose Cooperative has, however, brought the machine into operation. 

After the machine came into operation, 500 litres of milk are consumed in the neighbouring district of Dolpa and the rest in the local market, said Tilak Rana, Technical Assistant at the Veterinary Hospital and Animal Service Office. 

Keshav Prasad Sharma, Director of Panchase Multipurpose Cooperative, said that milk production and sale had become easier for farmers after the machine was brought into operation.  The general people who had given up buffalo rearing in the villages have been attracted to buffalo rearing.

The Karnali Provincial government had distributed Rs. 10 million to two cooperatives about four years ago to improve the income of the people by keeping the milk produced by the cooperative members in a chilling centres and distributing it in the market as needed.