Kerala Feeds to Woo Youth and Expats into Dairy Farming

Kerala Feeds Ltd. has initiated steps to woo new generation youths and expats into dairy farming. For this, it will hold a training course in July, for expatriates who have returned to Kerala and are planning to start cattle farms, said Managing Director B Sreekumar. Named ‘Entrepreneurial Vigour’, the project will also rope in new-generation youths into dairying, he said, adding that noted film star Jayaram, who is KFL’s brand ambassador, will play a key role in the mission.

The state-owned company clocked a turnover of ₹495.85 crore in 2019-20, nearly hitting the turnover target of ₹500 crore, despite the Covid-19 crisis towards the end of the financial year. “From the income we get on selling each kilo of cattle feed, 91 per cent is spent on buying raw materials. Yet we decided not to raise prices,” said KFL Chairman KS Indusekharan Nair. “That compelled private players not to hike prices too much. In fact, we sold (50 kg bags) at a price that is ₹130 less vis-à-vis the year-ago period.”

KFL did face problems owing to the spread of the coronavirus, but it managed to resolve them with prompt and prudent measures. “The orders we had placed didn’t reach us from other states owing to the lockdown that restricted transportation,” he said, adding that the State government’s intervention has also enabled the PSU to overcome the situation. Further, KFL facilitated dairy farmers to connect with the PSU, which ensured the supply of cattle feed. This move helped earn further access to various parts of Kerala, said Sreekumar.

Currently, the PSU is readying a mobile phone app for dairy farmers to contact KFL and order cattle feed. The production plant at Thodupuzha and the launch of KF Dairy Rich Plus feed for milch cows have made notable achievements in 2019-20. Also, the company launced chicken feed this fiscal. “There are some hiccups in its distribution owing to the lockdown. But we are rectifying that by offering certain concessions,” he said.

Read: Special Drive to Provide Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) to 1.5 Crore Dairy Farmers Launched 

Source: The article is extracted from The Hindu BusinessLine, June 02, 2020