Guwahati, Aug. 22: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal today exhorted dairy farmers of the state to eye the Southeast Asian markets.

"The state has shown exponential growth in the dairy sector and it is time that we explore the international market. We have a better access to the Southeast Asian countries and so, we should start penetrating their markets," Sonowal said while addressing a congregation of more than a thousand dairy farmers at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here this afternoon.

The West Assam Milk Producers' Union Limited (Wamul), popularly known as Purabi Dairy, today celebrated Purabi Milk Day.

Purabi Dairy is currently procuring a daily average of 32,650 litres of milk from 176 village-based functional milk producer institutions (MPI) and six dairy co-operative societies in Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Barpeta and Nalbari districts covering around 4,650 dairy farmers.

It is supplying a daily average of over 50,000 litres of packed milk and milk products in the markets of Guwahati and towns like Nalbari, Rangiya, Nagaon and Tezpur, including various defence establishments.

"I would like to see the quantity of milk supply to increase to 5 lakh litres per day in the next 10 years," Sonowal said.

Chief secretary V.K. Pipersenia, who was also present at the function, said, "Wamul has handed over the management of East Assam Milk Producers Union Limited and Cachar and Karimganj to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). I have urged the board to start work here soon."

Sonowal, however, said, "The state is yet to be self-sufficient in milk production .We import around 2 lakh litres of milk every day."?

Wamul management committee chairman Sangram Choudhury, taking note of Sonowal's comment, said, "We are trying to make the state self-sufficient in terms of milk requirement. Assam can save Rs 300 crore per year if the state becomes self-sufficient."?

Today's programme also saw the ceremonial distribution of Rs 1.50 crore of additional milk price to five farmers representing different areas - Rahim Badsha and Bijuli Medhi (Pathsala), Langkeswar Deka (Khetri), Sandip Roy (Lanka) and Hazera Khatun (Bordowa).

Three women dairy farmers of the union - Madhu Devi from Lumding, Radhika Chetri from Chandrapur and Ayecha Bibi from Hajo - were given a prize money of Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 for coming first, second and third best women dairy farmers respectively.