Milk-cooler units to be opened in Kochi today

The bulk milk-cooler units that have been established in the district with the aim of ensuring the quality of milk will be inaugurated by Kerala Minister for Food and Civil Supplies C. Divakaran at the Kozhipalli Milk Producers' Cooperative Society on Friday. The units have been installed under the Clean Milk Production Programme of the Union government, said T.P. Marcose, chairman of the Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers' Union, while addressing mediapersons at the Ernakulam Press Club on Thursday. "The Centre had sanctioned Rs. 2.2 crore to the district for the scheme. Under this, freshly-taken milk will be stored in the coolers that have been installed at different cooperative societies, thus ensuring the purity of milk. Seventy per cent of the milk produced in Ernakulam will be stored in these coolers that have generator back-up. Societies will also be given computers and electronic-weighing machines. Milma will bear the cost of maintaining the coolers.' The function will also see the inauguration of the marketing of a cost-effective milking machine developed by a society member.