Government announces plan to double milk processing capacity by 2025

Union Government today said that it will facilitate the doubling of milk processing capacity from over 53 million tonnes to 108 million tonnes by 2025.

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said, the government is continuously working towards increasing milk productivity through genetic improvement and reduction of input cost.

In India, milk production is growing by 6.4 per cent during the last five years and has increased from over 146.3 million tonnes in 2014-15 to over 187.7 million Tonne in 2018-19. The Ministry said, about 54 per cent of milk produced is marketable surplus and the remaining 46 per cent is retained in villages for local consumption.

Out of the marketable surplus available with farmers, only 36 per cent is handled by the cooperative and private sector. It said, there is a need to bring the remaining 64 per cent surplus milk under the organized fold through various interventions. During the last 2 years, milk procurement has grown by about 9% in the Cooperative sector.

A special programme has also been launched recently for the improvement of milk quality. The quality of milk will be increased by providing required testing facilities at the village and dairy plant level for safe human consumption. It said a special programme has been launched for improvement of the quality of the milk. Under the programme, the ministry will offer testing facilities at the village and dairy plant level for safe human consumption.

Quality Milk Programme

The ministry has proposed to further intensify the Quality Milk Programme for both cooperative and private sector with fund sharing basis. It says, "With a thrust on better productivity, reduced input cost and better quality milk and milk product, the competitiveness and profitability in the dairy sector will get enhanced leading to increased demand of dairy products in the domestic and international market." This would bring private investments in the sector, which in return will give a thrust to the rural income and increase employment opportunities there.