IMPHAL, August 14: A group of societies supplying milk to the Manipur Milk Producers Cooperative Limited have expressed apprehension that the society is on a downward spiral as it is unable to produce even 4000 litres of milk per day due to lack of government guidance.
Speaking to media persons, the group on conditions of anonymity said the co-operative unit is under the Department of Co-operation, Government of Manipur, unfortunately, the Co-operative minister has failed to take any initiative to provide proper guidance to the Manipur Milk Producers Cooperative Limited.
The cooperative unit has been reduced to just a namesake, a member of one of the societies claimed.
He further asserted that the Manipur Milk Producers Cooperative Limited used to produce atleast 7000/8000 litres of milk on a daily basis earlier, but this is not the same anymore.
There was a time when we used to set a target of 20000 litres per day, he claimed.
However, due to the less intake of milk, the Manipur Milk Producers Cooperative Limited is unable to meet the target, he claimed.
It was also able to sell other milk by-products in the past, he said.
This downward spiral is a result of the negligence of the officer bearers`™ as there is no official to look over them, he claimed.
The societies, he said have already appealed to the concern authority to correct the mismanagement.
He continued that they have received information about products being sold without receipts for the past many months.
He continued that only 36 societies are at present supplying milk to the union although there are 250 societies under the Manipur Milk Producers Cooperative Limited.
He claimed that the officials are unable to make the other remaining societies to supply milk.
In the past, the Manipur Milk Producers Cooperative Limited use to make regular and sometimes advance payment of money to the societies, but nowadays, it is unable to even make regular payment which has deterred the societies from supplying milk, he continued.
Now, the union has also stopped production of its Aingbi Ice-cream which was launched in 2013, he continued.
If this trend continues, it wouldn`™t be long before the Manipur Milk Producers Cooperative Limited closes down, he said, and further appealed to the concern authorities to look into the matter.