Amul to turn Spicy

Amul may be synonymous with milk and dairy products, but get ready for Amul ginger paste and Amul garlic powder in the near future.In a significant move the Panchmahal District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited at Godhra, popularly known as Panchamrut dairy, has started work on a project to use the cooperative model to procure and market farm products, mainly cash crops. The dairy is a member of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) which markets the Amul brand.Panchamrut dairy will procure ginger and garlic from farmers, process it and market it through GCMMF. The state government has allotted 25 acres land at Nani Sarsan village in Santrampur taluka for the project and work has begun on a dehydration factory where garlic and ginger will be processed.Many tribals produce such cash crops in small holdings and sell it in the open market, where they may not get good returns. In a cooperative structure, such tribals can surely get better returns. At the same time, value addition of such products can become a huge success.Several farmers in south India have set up groups to produce and market turmeric.