India Needs to Find Foreign Markets for Large Amount of Milk it Produces: NITI Ayog

Speaking at the 49th Dairy Industry Conference and Expo, organized by the Indian Dairy Association (IDA), Chand stated that there is a need to build supply chains to foreign countries in the same way that they have been built in India. "India Dairy to the World: Opportunities and Challenges" is the conference's theme.

"We used to produce less milk than the United States. We now produce twice as much milk as the United States. Our milk production growth rate was around 1% in the 1960s, but it is now at 6% "He stated.” According to Ramesh, per capita milk consumption in the country was only 124 gramme per day in 1950-51 and had dropped to 107 gramme per day by 1970.

“The country's daily milk consumption increased from 107 gramme per person in 1970 to 427 gramme per person in 2020-21, compared to the world average of 322 gramme per day in 2021," he said.

According to him, India produces over 220 million tonnes of milk per year, and milk consumption per person in the country has reached saturation. "As a result, it is critical to find markets for the milk that we produce in the country," he said, adding that India should establish supply chains to foreign countries.

According to Chand, Indian dairy and animal husbandry contribute nearly half of total annual agricultural growth. "The agri sector is growing at 3.2 percent, with the dairy and animal husbandry industries contributing half of that," he said. The challenges faced by the dairy industry, according to Chand, are milk productivity per animal, breed improvement, and the use of chemicals in the dairy industry.

Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, stated that in order for India to become the dairy superpower, it must focus on breed improvement and increasing cattle productivity. "Our government's goal is for India to emerge as the world's leading dairy nation," he said. According to IDA President R S Sodhi, milk production in Gujarat has increased ninefold since 1996.

"Gujarat last hosted the Dairy Industry Conference in Anand in 1996. Since then, the dairy industry has made unparalleled progress. India's milk production was only 71 million tonne at the time, but it has since increased to 222 million tonne. Milk production in India has increased threefold, but in Gujarat, it has increased ninefold, from 30 lakh litres per day to 270 lakh litres," he stated. Meenesh Shah, Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), stated that they have prepared a plan for the development of the dairy industry until 2047.

"We have a blueprint for Vision 2047, and it is time for us all to work together effectively to achieve it. We intend to quadruple bovine productivity by 2047, increase Indian dairy exports to 15% of total global dairy exports, and develop sustainable green practises in order to meet COP26 targets. I cordially invite you all to actively participate in this transformative journey," Shah stated.

The three-day conference, held in Gujarat after a 27-year hiatus, brought together dairy experts and professionals from India and abroad, dairy cooperatives, milk producers, government officials, scientists, policymakers and planners, academicians, and other stakeholders.