Kesinga: Kesinga town in Kalahandi district is a prominent business centre of western Odisha. More than 20,000 people reside in this town, which comes under the Kesinga Notified area Council (NAC), comprising of 12 wards.
There are several small-scale industries, factories, rice mills, market areas, hospitals, schools, colleges, government and private offices in this town. People of 26 nearby panchayats under Kesinga block depend on this town.
Being a well populated town in the district, there is a huge demand for milk in Kesinga every day. According to available data, there are about 8,000 cows and 2,700 buffalos in 26 panchayats of Kesinga, including the NAC area, producing more than 10,000 litres of milk.
The dairy farmers from nearby villages supply milk to tea stalls, households and hotels in Kesinga town. When there is an excessive milk production, they suffer from distress sale their produce as there is no milk chilling plant in the area. The local milk farmers have been demanding setting up of a milk chilling plant in Kesinga but to no avail. They have even approached the Animal Husbandry department, but no heed has been paid to their demand.
As a result, dairy farmers, especially milk producers are suffering huge losses. Often they are forced to sell milk at Rs 25-30 per litre.
Fortunately, the authorities have finally agreed to set up a milk chilling plant in Kesinga. Considering the urgency for a milk chilling plant, the Chief District Veterinary Officer (CVDO) of the Animal Husbandry department and General Manager of OMFED recently visited the town and finalised a site near Kesinga veterinary hospital.
It is worth mentioning here that there is a milk chilling plant at Tundala, which is about 25 km away from Kesinga town. Milk collected from the nearby areas of Tundala are sent to this milk chilling plant and then supplied to the Bhawanipatna market through tankers.
On being contacted, the Veterinary Surgeon of Kesinga veterinary hospital, Dr. Paramananda Naik said, “The finalisation of plant site has already been done. There is need of a milk chilling plant in the area”.
PNN