Milma and Kudumbashree Achieve Record Onam Sales

Thiruvananthapuram: Milma and Kudumbashree achieved record sales of milk, dairy products, and other local produce during the Onam season this year.

Milma reported an all-time high in sales, selling 1.19 crore litres of milk and 14.58 lakh kilograms of curd over six days. Last year, the figures were 1.16 crore litres of milk and 13.76 lakh kilograms of curd. On Uthradam alone, Milma sold 38.03 lakh litres of milk and 3.97 lakh kilograms of curd, compared to 37 lakh litres of milk and 3.91 lakh kilograms of curd during the same day last year. From August 1 to Uthradam, Milma also sold 991.08 tonnes of ghee, including 127.16 tonnes over four days.

To meet the high Onam demand, Milma imported 75 lakh litres of milk from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra, of which 80% came from the Karnataka Milk Federation. The state produces around 13 lakh litres of milk daily. Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF) Chairman K S Mani said that careful planning ensured smooth distribution of milk, curd, and other products. Additionally, six lakh kits of 50 ml ghee were distributed through Supplyco, and Milma’s ready-to-drink products and payasam kits recorded strong sales.

Meanwhile, Kudumbashree earned 35 crore rupees from the sale of vegetables, fruits, flowers, and other food products during Onam, up from 28 crore rupees last year. The state-level fair in Thrissur, along with 13 district-level fairs and more than 4,000 CDS fairs, generated 21.08 crore rupees. Through Kudumbashree Pocket Mart, 5,400 gift hampers were sold, earning 49 lakh rupees, while 92,000 gift hampers were sold through CDS units, generating 5.83 crore rupees.

Kudumbashree also distributed 1,09,642 Onam meals, including payasam, generating 2.1 crore rupees in revenue. Agricultural projects such as Onakani and Nirappolima contributed fresh vegetables and flowers to the market. Through 13,879 Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) across the state, 8,913.13 acres of vegetables and 1,820.52 acres of flowers were marketed. Sales included 4.5 crore rupees worth of vegetables and one crore rupees worth of flowers. The CDS fairs, held from August 28 to September 1, ensured the participation of over 5,000 entrepreneurs, with Kudumbashree ensuring maximum benefit reached the producers.