Amul to set up milk-processing plant in Howrah's Sankrail

Amul, a brand managed by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) Limited, a cooperative body, is all set to build its centralised milk processing plant in Howrah district's Kendua Food Park at Sankrail.

The food park is expected to commence operations by next year, said R S Sodhi, the managing director of GCMMF. The investment would be of around Rs 250 crore, he added.

The new plant will produce around 10 lakh litre of milk every day.

A state government source said that work on the plant will start very soon and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

The proposed plant will manufacture UHT milk, yoghurt and ghee besides normal milk.

"Ultra High Temperature (UHT) processing, sterilises food by heating it at a temperature of over 135 degree Celsius (275 degree Fahrenheit) — the temperature required to kill spores in milk — for a couple of seconds.

UHT is most commonly used in milk production, but the process is also used for sterilizing fruit juices, cream, soy milk, yogurt, wine, soups, honey and stews. Sophisticated machinery will be used at the Amul dairy plant," a state Food Processing and Horticulture department officer explained.

The Kendua Food Park, at Howrah's Sankrail, has been developed by West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation Limited (WBIDCL) to provide the necessary help to manufacturers and producers of food and agro products, of which dairy is an important part.