Nagaland now to produce only fortified milk
R. Khing launches Fortified Milk in Kohima on September 17. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 17
The Milk industry in Nagaland under the banner of Nagaland State Dairy Co-operative Federation Ltd (NSDCFL) today reached a momentous milestone with the launching of Fortified Milk with Vitamin A & D in the state.
This milestone has been arrived with the support of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and Tata Trusts India.
“Consumers of Nagaland now can avail the benefits of these vitamins through milk at par with the rest of the country,” said R. Khing, Advisor, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services and Women Resources Development during the launching programme here at Hotel Japfu.
He urged the concerned regulatory authority to regularly monitor related activities to ensure that fortification is carried out strictly adhering to the prescribed criteria. Khing maintained that fortification of milk with certain micronutrients is a good strategy to address micronutrient malnutrition.
India has a high burden of Vitamin A and D deficiencies amongst both young children and adults, he said. Khing informed that 57% of preschool children have sub-clinical Vitamin A deficiency and 70% Indians are Vitamin D deficient and another 15% are insufficient. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness and Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets and osteomalacia.
‘Only fortified milk will be produced’
“From today onwards, only Fortified Milk will be produced and made available with our vendors,” said Alan Gonmei, Commissioner & Secretary for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Nagaland.
He informed that out of 120 Dairy Cooperative Societies in Nagaland, only 71 are functional. The Dairy Cooperative Societies formed 3 Milk Producing Unions in three districts of Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung, through which NSDCFL was formed.
In Nagaland, he said, the business of producing, storing, and distributing milk and its products is the responsibility of NSDCFL.
Currently, the total production of milk is 1,14,684 litres/day (Kohima-50,750 litres/day, Dimapur-45,977 litres/day and Mokokchung-17,957 litres/day).
About 95,000 litres/day of raw milk is sold directly to consumers.
Gonmei said that the launching of Fortified Milk and making it available in the market “will open the minds of consumers to prefer fortified milk to raw milk.”
“In the process, it is expected to open wider market for fortified milk. At the same time the NSDCF Ltd, is also expected to work harder and go extra miles to produce more to meet the demand of the market,” Gonmei said.
Milk fortification is a step towards improved nutrition aimed to encounter the existing nutritional challenges. The purpose is to reduce the rate of common deficiencies and diseases that would otherwise occur in the absence of these nutrients. In fortification, milk is added with Vitamin A & D.
The Food Safety & Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) and Food Fortification Resource Centre (FFRC) regulate the standard and implementation of milk fortification in India.
Milk fortification project is implemented nationwide by NDDB and supported by Tata Trusts India in collaboration with India Nutrition Initiative (INI).
