Burgers, pizzas make way for milk-processed products in Punjab

Burgers, pizzas and sandwiches are making way for milk-processed products in Punjab, which is experiencing a boom.The Moudgil family of Chandigarh has taken a fancy to milk processed products like cheese and butter.

By Sunil Sharma

Chandigarh, Aug 24 : Burgers, pizzas and sandwiches are making way for milk-processed products in Punjab, which is experiencing a boom.The Moudgil family of Chandigarh has taken a fancy to milk processed products like cheese and butter.

They are among the many families in India who have switched over to having a western breakfast, bidding adieu to standard fare like Indian stuffed `parathas'.

"I don't have to make a burger now. Butter is there, Cheese is there and curd. So, whenever I want, it is readily available and the kids love it. So, it makes things very easy," a member of Moudgil family said. This societal transformation is good news for the Punjab dairy industry.

The industry is now producing a wide range of milk products like butter, flavoured milk, cheese and curd.

A rise in the cheese production indicates its growing demand each year.

"Take the example of cheese consumption in Punjab. It was in 1998 that the production was increased through Patiala Plant which indicates that people in Punjab and in India have started consuming more cheese. In 1998, we were producing 5 to 10 tonnes of cheese a month which is now 20 tonnes," said Karnail Singh, General Manager of Verka Milk Plant, Patiala.

At Milkfed Plants, the growth of milk products has been increasing by 10 to 50 per cent per annum.

The annual turnover of Milkfed which was Rs.585 crores in the year 2003-04 has hit the level of Rs.725 crores in the year 2006-07.

Thanks to the `White Revolution' in the state. It is easy to meet the rising demands of dairy products in the domestic and international markets.

Many corporates are also venturing into dairy products manufacturing because of its profitability.

Milk Production is a very important part of the agricultural economy in the State of Punjab. Dairy Farming is an age-old subsidiary profession in the rural areas of Punjab.

Punjab is the second largest milk producing state in India, producing around 10 per cent of the country's milk production that is eight million tones annually.

ANI