Bhubaneswar: In a major diversification move, the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation (OMFED) has decided to expand its product offering with the launch of chocolate and packaged drinking water soon.
OMFED has chalked out plans to set up a dedicated chocolate manufacturing plant for which a detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
When the DPR is ready, a proposal will be submitted to the state government for the required capital investment to set up the proposed chocolate plant, OMFED Managing Director Vijay Amrut Kulange told reporters.
He said the move is aimed at diversification of products and value addition to dairy items under the OMFED brand.
This apart, OMFED is also planning to launch packaged drinking water under its own brand name. This product is expected to be available in the market within the next four months, offering consumers a new reliable option in the bottled water segment.
At present, OMFED collects around 5.5 lakh litres of milk daily from approximately 2.5 lakh dairy farmers across the state. With consistent efforts to strengthen the dairy sector, OMFED has set an ambitious target to increase milk procurement to 10 lakh litres per day within a year.
Similarly, Efforts are on to increase production of ghee. At present, OMFED produces around 120 tonnes of ghee per month, which is supplied to prominent temples including the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri. If demand continues to grow, ghee production will be further enhanced.
