LPG curbs hit dairy processing in MP, milk collection drops

Indore: Dairy operators in Indore region have begun cutting milk procurement from farmers and scaling down production of by-products such as mawa, paneer and sweets as restrictions on commercial LPG supplies have disrupted processing operations, while in Bhopal region some dairy businesses have begun shifting to electric appliances to keep operations running.Industry representatives said that the curbs on commercial LPG have affected dairy units that rely heavily on gas for boiling, processing and preparing milk-based products. In Indore, the state's largest milk trading hub, average daily milk procurement has fallen from around 12–13 lakh litres to nearly 8 lakh litres, a decline of about 4 lakh litres, according to dairy and milk suppliers association.Indore Dudgh Vikreta Sangh president, Bharat Mathurawala, said that dairies have been forced to cut milk purchases due to limited fuel availability for processing."We have cut down purchase of milk by at least 4 lakh litres because there is not sufficient arrangement for boiling milk and making by-products due to restrictions on the supply of commercial cylinders," Mathurawala said.According to the association, which delivers milk to households twice a day, total daily milk sales in the city are around 12.5–13 lakh litres, including supplies to home consumers and dairy operators. Daily milk collection in Indore typically ranges between 12 and 12.5 lakh litres.Dairy owners purchase milk primarily to manufacture products such as mawa, paneer, sweets and lassi. Traders said production of these by-products has dropped sharply in recent days as processing capacity has been curtailed.A similar trend has been reported in Ujjain, where daily milk collection from farmers is around 5 lakh litres, which industry representatives said has also slipped in recent days as dairy units have cut processing of milk-based products.Dudgh Vikreta Sangh Ujjain president, Mohan Waswani, said that dairies were continuing operations but at reduced capacity. "We cannot stop production completely, but as cylinders are not available, we have cut down production. We are also paying higher prices for cylinders, which has increased our input costs," Waswani said.In Bhopal, some food businesses have started shifting to electric appliances to maintain operations.Kush Harwani, managing partner at a food chain outlet in Bhopal, said that their procurement remains unchanged due to contractual obligations. "We have contracts with milk vendors to get daily supplies. We cannot reduce the quantity and have to procure it. Our factory runs on boilers and PNG so regular consumption continues, but for restaurant operations we have shifted to induction cooktops," Harwani said.Suppliers said that milk collection has also been affected in several districts, including Neemuch, Badwah and Bhopal, as dairy operators across the state adjust procurement in line with reduced processing.Dairy operators said they were prioritising supply of liquid milk to urban consumers while reducing production of value-added products that require prolonged heating and higher fuel consumption.Status: Not Approved HEAD: 17_Ind_MS_LPG curbs hit dairy processing in MP milk collection drops Byline: None LPG curbs hit dairy processing in MP, milk collection drops Indore: Dairy operators in the Indore region have begun cutting milk procurement from farmers and scaling down production of by-products such as mawa, paneer and sweets as restrictions on commercial LPG supplies disrupt processing operations, while in the Bhopal region some dairy businesses have begun shifting to electric appliances to keep operations running. In Indore alone, milk collection from farmers has dropped by about 4 lakh litres per day, industry representatives said. Industry representatives said the curbs on commercial LPG, introduced after the govt prioritised domestic household supplies amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, have affected dairy units that rely heavily on gas for boiling, processing and preparing milk-based products. In Indore, the state's largest milk trading hub, average daily milk procurement has fallen from around 12–13 lakh litres to nearly 8 lakh litres, a decline of about 4 lakh litres, according to the Dairy and Milk Suppliers Association. Bharat Mathurawala, president of the Indore Dudgh Vikreta Sangh, said dairies have been forced to cut milk purchases due to limited fuel availability for processing. "We have cut down purchases of milk by at least 4 lakh litres because there is not sufficient arrangement for boiling milk and making by-products due to restrictions on the supply of commercial cylinders," Mathurawala said. According to the association, which delivers milk to households twice a day, total daily milk sales in the city are around 12.5–13 lakh litres, including supplies to home consumers and dairy operators. Daily milk collection in Indore typically ranges between 12 and 12.5 lakh litres. Dairy owners purchase milk primarily to manufacture products such as mawa, paneer, sweets and lassi. Traders said production of these by-products has dropped sharply in recent days as processing capacity has been curtailed. A similar trend has been reported in Ujjain, where daily milk collection from farmers is around 5 lakh litres, which industry representatives said has also slipped in recent days as dairy units cut processing of milk-based products. Mohan Waswani, president of the Dudgh Vikreta Sangh in Ujjain, said dairies are continuing operations but at reduced capacity. "We cannot stop production completely, but as cylinders are not available, we have cut down production. We are also paying higher prices for cylinders, which has increased our input costs," Waswani said. In Bhopal, some food businesses have started shifting to electric appliances to maintain operations. Kush Harwani, managing partner at a food chain outlet in Bhopal, said they have reduced milk procurement and switched to induction-based cooking to manage the situation. "We have contracted milk procurement from farmers, and to cater to our needs we have moved to induction cooktops so that our operations do not get hampered," Harwani said. Suppliers said milk collection has also been affected in several districts, including Neemuch, Badwah and Bhopal, as dairy operators across the state adjust procurement in line with reduced processing. Dairy operators said they are prioritising supply of liquid milk to urban consumers while reducing production of value-added products that require prolonged heating and higher fuel consumption. MSID:: 129634406 413 |