Expanding dairy sector boosting rural economy

RANGPUR, May 16 (BSS): The expanding dairy sector has started boosting the rural economy side by side meeting nutritional demand and changing socioeconomic condition of the commoners by alleviating poverty in the northern districts.

According to the concerned officials, experts and successful dairy farmers, proper exploration of the prospective dairy sector adopting comprehensive steps, including setting up of milk-processing industries, can usher in a new era in rural economy.

Former President of Rangpur Chamber Mosaddek Hossain Bablu said huge milk is being produced daily, but lack of adequate milk processing industries and marketing facilities are still hindering desired growth of the sector.

Executive Director of the Rangpur-based research organisation 'Northbengal Institute of Development Studies' Dr Syed Samsuzzaman said setting up of milk processing, chilling factories and organising milk producers under cooperatives could further enhance the sector.

Livestock specialist Dr Rowshanuzzman put emphasis on cooperatives systems to ensure smooth marketing of the enormous quantity of milk being produced, the poverty-prone areas to achieve huge economic developments in shorter period.

The Rangpur Dairy (RD) Milk Processing Factory, a successful private sector enterprise, at Boldipukur in Mithapukur upazila here has already set up a unique example through creating huge jobs for poverty-stricken people side by side changing their fates.

Senior official of RD Factory Ashraful Alam said hundreds of cows have so far been distributed among the poor of Shalaipur, Muradpur and many other villages in Rangpur to change their fate under a massive plan of distributing thousands of cows in future.