Sunday, July 12, 2020

Raw Milk vs Packaged Milk :Amritsar Still Prefers Local Supply Over Packaged Milk

     Packaged milk industry struggles to compete with local supply

Amritsar: The packaged milk industry here is yet to win the confidence of consumers, who still prefer buying loose milk from friendly “dodhi” (milkmen), who delivers “fresh” milk at their doorstep every morning after milking it straight from cows and buffaloes at his “tabela”. Although there have been numerous cases of loose milk adulteration, the packaged milk, dubbed as “made in factory” milk, remains the second choice.

Of the nearly five lakh liter daily demand of milk in Amritsar, the packaged milk had a share of nearly one lakh liter.

There are several measures for checking milk adulteration with the packaged milk industry, whereas the loose milk is always at risk of being laced with various adulterants, he underlined.

However, the very idea of fortification is alien to the loose milk seller. “What is fortification? Milk itself is a complete food having all the required minerals and vitamins. There is no such need,” said Parkash Singh, a dairy owner. He claimed that the packaged milk industry would not be able to come close to them in terms of competition.

“Everyone knows that we supply fresh milk and not factory made. We have earned the faith of our customers,” said Parveen Kumar, a loose milk seller, adding that not only the loose milk, but the packaged milk is also adulterated.


Verka Milk Plant general manager Harminder Singh Sandhu said Verka would soon begin an awareness drive to make their reach to every household by holding camps in residential localities, telling people about the benefits of packaged milk over loose milk and also provide them free milk testing service.


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