Assam dairy farmers dump milk in river; demand preference for 'locals'

A number of dairy farmers associated with the Sitajakhala Dugdha Utpadak Samabai Samiti Ltd - an Assam-based dairy farmers collective - dumped about 1,000 litres of milk in a river in Assam on Saturday. The dairy farmers were protesting against the alleged "anti-local" policy of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) as well as Purabi Dairy, an Assam-based dairy firm.

Morigaon (Assam): Several dairy farmers associated with the Sitajakhala Dugdha Utpadak Samabai Samiti Ltd - an Assam-based dairy farmer's collective - dumped about 1,000 litres of milk into a river in Assam on Saturday.

The dairy farmers were protesting against the alleged "anti-local" policy of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) as well as Purabi Dairy, an Assam-based dairy firm.

Chairman of Sitajakhala Dugdha Utpadak Samiti, Rajib Sharma said that the Assam government has signed an agreement with Purabi Dairy and Gujarat-based NDDB depriving the local (Assamese) dairy farmers from their dues.

The agitating dairy farmers also demanded the appointment of a person belonging to the Assamese community as the Chairman of Purabi Dairy, and demanded further assurance from the state government that the dairy firm would only accept milk from Assamese dairy farmers and not from non-local population.

The dairy farmers collective has threatened of continuing their protest until their demands are met by either the state or central government.