Sources within the state dairy cooperative informed media that two lots of milk powder weighing 58.338 MT and 66.654 MT were turned down, because of quality issues.
The Indian Army has turned down the complete shipment of Verka whole milk powder provided by the Punjab Government’s dairy cooperative, Milkfed.
In a letter addressed to the Ludhiana District Cooperative Milk Producers Union, the Officer Commanding of an Army Service Corps unit stationed in Jammu mentioned that approximately 125 metric tonnes of whole milk powder provided by the Ludhiana unit of Verka were being turned away.
Official sources within the state dairy cooperative informed The Tribune that two lots of milk powder one weighing 58.338 MT and the other 66.654 MT were turned down, purportedly because of quality issues. The samples supposedly did not pass the Army’s quality assessments.
A copy of the letter, which is with The Tribune, has also been forwarded to the Chief Director of the Purchase and Food Inspection Organisation in the Union Defence Ministry.
Rahul Gupta, Managing Director of Milkfed, informed The Tribune that the state dairy cooperative ranks among the finest in the nation, emphasizing that the utmost importance is placed on quality control and inspections during the preparation, packaging, and distribution of milk and milk products for wholesale or retail.
“We are forming an investigative committee to find out the reasons behind the rejection of the whole milk powder,” he stated.
