Vadodara: Union minister for cooperation Amit Shah on Sunday applauded Kutch-based Sarhad Dairy for registering the first cooperative for salt production. After successfully milking the ship of the desert, Sarhad Dairy is all set to exploit another of nature’s treasures — the salt pans of the Rann of Kutch.”Salt was the only segment left untouched by the cooperative movement. Today, that gap has been filled,” Shah said while addressing a gathering a function in Anand that marked the 4th Foundation Day of the ministry of cooperation. During the function, Shah launched a series of projects.Lauding the registration of Gujarat’s first cooperative society in salt production, Shah acknowledged the role played by Valamji Humbal, chairman of Sarhad Dairy and also vice chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) that markets products under the brand Amul.The salt cooperative is expected to unite small ‘agariyas’ — a community engaged in traditional salt farming practices — on a common platform. “The profit for producing salt will now go to the agariyas (salt pan workers),” Shah said, adding that it will help become a model for small salt producers.Talking to TOI, Humbal said that the salt co-operative has been registered under the name of Shri Kutch District Coastal Area Salt Producers and Sales Co-operative Society Limited under the Gujarat Co-operative Societies Act last month.”We plan to procure salt from the ‘agariyas’, process it, and sell it through GCMMF under the brand name Amul,” Humbal told TOI, adding that to begin with, Rs 15 crore investment will be required for processing the salt procured from the ‘agariyas’.”There are nearly 5,000 ‘agariyas’ in Kutch alone who produce salt on land of ten or more acres. This initiative is expected to increase their income by three to fourfold,” he said, adding that Kutch alone accounts for nearly 35% of India’s total salt production. “If one considers the total salt production in Gujarat, Kutch and neighbouring Surendranagar district contribute maximum to India’s total salt production,” he said.Pointers: Projects inauguratedExpansion of Amul’s Mogar chocolate plant with Rs 105 crore investmentExpansion of Khatraj cheese plant with Rs 260 crore investmentThe new corporate building, Maniben Bhavan, at NDDBNew building of NCDFINew facility to manufacture Ready-to-Use Cultures (RUC) at IDMC Limited