Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: India’s milk production has increased by 63.56 per cent over the past 10 years from 146.3 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 239.2 million tonnes during 2023-24, with an annual growth rate of 5.7 per cent, reported IANS.
World milk production, however, is growing at 2 per cent per annum, according to information tabled in Parliament.
Per capita availability of milk in the country has increased by 48 per cent in the last decade with more than 471 gm/person/day during the year 2023- 24 as against the per capita availability of 322 gram/ person/ day in the world, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, SP Singh Baghel, said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
India has ranked first in milk production since 1998 and now contributes to 25 per cent of global milk production. The minister also mentioned details of the various schemes that the Indian Government is implementing to boost the dairy sector.
The Centre’s National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) is being implemented across the country to complement and supplement the efforts for milk production and milk processing infrastructure made by state governments, the minister said.
To assist state dairy cooperative federations, the Centre is also providing interest subvention with respect to working capital loan to tide over the crisis on account of severely adverse market conditions or natural calamities.
He further stated that the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) is being implemented for funding by schedule banks of eligible projects set up by individual entrepreneurs, dairy cooperatives, farmer producer organisations, private firms, MSMEs and Section 8-companies for their investment for processing and value addition in the sector.
To enhance milk production and productivity of bovines, the Government is implementing the ‘Rashtriya Gokul Mission’ for development and conservation of indigenous breeds and genetic upgradation of the bovine population.
The National Livestock Mission (NLM) has been launched to bring sharp focus on entrepreneurship development and breed improvement in poultry, sheep, goat and piggery.
