Sirajganj: Officials and entrepreneurs have opined that appropriate support from different public-private organizations in the milk production and marketing system has helped enhance the output of milk and increase the quality of milk products in the district.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the absence of a proper production and marketing system had previously prevented small entrepreneurs in the district from accessing larger markets for their products, despite the presence of nearly 33,000 cattle farms. Several hundred entrepreneurs across various upazilas are now preparing a variety of milk products, including ghee, cheese, milk chick, labang, whey milk, sweetmeat, and card, with an annual market value exceeding one hundred crore.
Entrepreneur Basudev Chandra Roy shared his experience, stating, “I have been in the business of manufacturing ghee and milk chick since 2002, but we did not receive a BSTI certificate.” Recently, with the assistance of the Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP), he obtained the necessary certification. Additionally, quality verification measures and the installation of cookers with chimneys and water tanks, facilitated by SEP, have improved the quality, pricing, and sales of milk products.
Talking to BSS, Abdul Maleque, Manager of a sub-project like Sustainable Micro Enterprise and Resilient Transformation (SMERT), mentioned that the project is currently operational in two upazilas (Shahjadpur and Ullahpara) in Sirajganj and Bera upazila in Pabna. Under the project, approximately 1,500 entrepreneurs are involved in producing 22 milk products, manufacturing nearly 30 tonnes of cheese and 3,000 kg of ghee, and generating nearly Taka 15 crore annually. Maleque further noted that there are at least 120 milk product entrepreneurs, with the annual market for these products exceeding Taka 120 crore.
In the 2023-24 period, around 7,16,000 tonnes of milk were produced in the district, with nearly 19 lakh liters currently being produced. However, different private and public milk collectors and processors, including Milk Vita, Pran, and Arong, are collecting only 1.50 lakh liters of milk daily.
District livestock officer Dr. AKM Anwarul Huq emphasized that livestock farmers are benefiting from reduced production costs due to the cooperation of various public and private organizations. Nevertheless, challenges such as the higher cost of cattle feed and limited access to larger markets remain obstacles for the industry.