The 49th Dairy Industry Conference & Expo Hosted by IDA Begins in Gandhinagar Today

The conference is bringing together dairy professionals, experts from overseas and India, milk producers, dairy cooperatives, scientists, government officials, policymakers, academicians, and other stakeholders under the theme ‘India Dairy to the World: Opportunities & Challenges.’

Speaking at the event, Parshottam Rupala said that the Indian government is vaccinating cattle which is a very important thing for animal rearers and a major step for the dairy industry. He said that India, in the coming future, will become the source of food security in the world which will only be possible when breeding improvement programs are organized and the dairy sector and dairy entrepreneurs all work in the same direction to achieve the goal.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Union Minister of State of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, NITI Aayog member Prof Ramesh Chand, Gujarat’s Co-operation Minister Jagdish Vishwakarma, International Dairy Federation President Piercristiano Brazzale, and IDF Director General Caroline Emond, who will be the guest of honor. Meenesh Shah, Chairman of, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will deliver the keynote address.

At the Indian Dairy Summit on March 18, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is expected to be the chief guest. Along with the Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister Parshottam Rupala, State Minister Jagdish Vishwakarma, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, NDDB Chairman Meenesh Shah, and IDF President Piercristiano Brazzale will be the guests of honor.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the conference is being held after a gap of three years in collaboration with its Gujarat State chapter. The event aims to discuss global dairy trends, sustainability, farm innovations, nutrition, climate change, and health in India with the goal of making India a hub of dairy innovations and solutions.

The three-day conference and exhibition aim to showcase the latest technologies in milk production, processing, storage, and packaging solutions. Awards will be given to individuals and organizations for their contribution to the growth of the dairy industry.

RS Sodhi, President of the Indian Dairy Association, stated, "Being the $10 billion Indian Dairy industry, the Dairy Industry Conference is the biggest conference. India has come a long way from being a milk-deficit nation to becoming the largest milk-producing nation in the world. India has the capability to become a dairy to the world. The discussions at the conference will take into account how India can make the most of the great opportunities and the challenges it needs to overcome. The conference is even more special as it is taking place in Gujarat after a gap of 27 years."

The conference will discuss various topics, including the contributions of the Indian dairy sector to the world and its role in the Indian economy, the unique smallholder model of dairying in India and its contribution to the socio-economic revolution in rural India, the role of dairy in human nutrition and health, opportunities and innovations in milk production, processing, value-added products, packaging, and marketing, and quality, safety, and regulations, farmer’s issues, dairy plant & machinery, supply chain, education & training, and all aspects related to dairying will be discussed by the experts and professionals.