Trivandrum: The state-run Kerala Feeds Limited (KFL) posted impressive results in 2022-23 with its total sales turnover going up to Rs 621 crore from Rs 577 crore the previous year, reflecting the high acceptability of its products in the market.
A State Public Sector Undertaking, KFL played a vital role in the growth of the animal husbandry sector in Kerala during the period by ensuring an adequate supply of high-quality cattle, poultry and rabbit feeds at affordable prices to farmers. Its products like Kerala Feeds Midukki, Kerala Feeds Elite, Dairy Rich Plus, Karamine Mineral Mixture and Milk Booster were well accepted in the market.
The KFL products strictly adhere to the quality parameters set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). At a time when low-quality but exorbitantly priced feed from other states are pumped into the market, KFL’s market interventions kept the state’s cattle herd and other livestock in good health insulating them from the ill effects of the poor-quality products.
Even as the price of raw materials kept soaring, KFL made available to farmers high-quality cattle feed at subsidised rates. The company passed on benefits worth Rs 42 crore by way of subsidies during the year.
Significantly, 80 per cent of the company’s revenue was netted through the sale of its products in the open market and the remaining 20 per cent from Animal Husbandry and Local Self Government departments.
KFL is well prepared to make available a sufficient quantity of high-quality cattle feed to meet the requirements of all departments of the Government of Kerala, KFL Chairman, Shri K Sreekumar said.
The unique selling proposition of KFL, safe milk and healthy cow was totally accepted by the dairy farmers of Kerala. This will definitely improve the milk productivity of animals and thereby reducing cost of dairy farming in Kerala, said KFL MD, Dr B Sreekumar.
For 2023-24, KFL has drawn up a project to be implemented with the financial support of the government to procure raw materials from other states at low prices and turn them into cattle feed to be routed to farmers at affordable prices, Dr Sreekumar said.
Also, KFL has launched an initiative to take up maize cultivation to overcome the paucity of the staple raw material for the production of cattle feed, starting with an area of 25 acres.