June 01, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 15, 1428

PESHAWAR, May 31: The provincial livestock department has devised a plan to facilitate the transportation of milk produced by local dairy farmers to the market in Kalam valley, officials said.

The government has already carried out a feasibility study which suggests transportation of milk from 10 places of Daisan villages in Godar valley to hotels in Kalam town.

According to the plan, a three-kilometre steel wire would be used to transport 500 litres of milk to the market. A 60HP engine will power the mechanism.

The milk would be stored at the Kameer Banda village for its onward transportation to the market.

The project is likely to be launched in a couple of days at a cost of Rs6.2 million, officials said, adding that the programme was part of a European Union as sisted Strengthening of Livestock Project.

According to a survey, farmers in Godar valley obtain 690 litres of milk in summer from 1,710 cattle, including 1,450 goats, on a daily basis.

In winter, the farmers migrate from high to the low altitude areas with their cattle.

A huge amount of milk is wasted due to the non-availability of storage facilities.