Milma chases foreign cash with Aussie, NZ exports

Kerala’s dairy cooperative Milma has entered a three-way partnership to ship its products to Australia and New Zealand, marking the organization’s first expansion beyond Middle Eastern territories. The Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation finalized the arrangement on Wednesday through Managing Director Asif K. Yusuf alongside partners from RG Foods and Midnightsun Global, with Chairman K.S. Mani attending the ceremony.

RG Foods will manage the entire supply chain from collection at production sites through transportation, regulatory processing and cargo delivery while meeting import requirements for both nations. Midnightsun Global will coordinate operational activities without claiming product ownership. Initial shipments will feature paneer, payasam mix and dairy whitener before expanding to additional items. Yusuf said manufacturing will adhere to international quality benchmarks outlined in the partnership terms.

Mani described the agreement as a significant advance for the cooperative’s international presence, noting that substantial communities of Keralites living abroad in these Pacific countries create favorable conditions for sales. The federation distributed 92.5 percent of earnings to member farmers during the previous year and recorded consolidated revenue of 4,327 crore rupees for fiscal 2024-25. RG Foods assumes all costs for logistics, customs and distribution, along with related export hazards.