India must not be satisfied by becoming the world’s largest milk producer, but must also aim to become the biggest dairy exporter, said Home Minister Amit Shah. He added that India will contribute 33% to world milk output by 2033-34.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the 49th Dairy Industry Conference organized by the Indian Dairy Association (IDA) as the chief guest at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Several dignitaries including Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel were present on the occasion.
He said that India must not be satisfied by becoming the world’s largest milk producer, but must also aim to become the biggest dairy exporter. Shah also reiterated the central government’s commitment to strengthening the cooperative model.
The theme of the conference was “India Dairy to the world: Opportunities & Challenges”.
“Our milk processing capacity is around 126 million litres per day, which is the highest in the world. From 1970 to 2022, India’s population has increased fourfold, but milk production has increased by ten times,” Shah said.
“We should not be satisfied by being the world’s largest milk producer. We must also strive to become the world’s biggest dairy exporter. A second White Revolution is needed and we are working in that direction. The Narendra Modi government will not let any opportunity go to waste,” the country’s first cooperation minister said.
“The Indian dairy sector has grown by 6.6 per cent per year in the past decade. The Central government is setting up 2 lakh dairy cooperatives in villages, and once that happens, the dairy sector’s growth will go up to 13.80 per cent. India’s share of global milk production will be 33 per cent. Our dairy exports will be at least five times the current level,” said Shah.
The union minister noted that dairy is a vocation for the world, but in India, where 9 crore families are directly connected with dairying, it is also a source of livelihood, strengthening the rural economy, addressing nutritional challenges, and women empowerment.
Addressing the event, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said, “Small dairy farmers are the real strength of the Indian dairy sector. Gujarat has been a model of overall development and is also a leader in the dairy industry with a 20 per cent share in the country’s milk production. Dairy farmers must look for value addition, and focus on the quality of milk and milk products for sustainable growth.”
The 49th Dairy Industry Conference, held in Gujarat after 27 years, brought together dairy experts and professionals from India and abroad, dairy cooperatives, milk producers, government officials, scientists, policymakers, planners, academicians, and other stakeholders.
Prestigious awards including the Dr Kurien Award, IDA Patron Award, and IDA Fellowship Awards, were also conferred on the occasion.
President of the Indian Dairy Association RS Sodhi said, “The Indian dairy industry has achieved phenomenal growth because of determined efforts to become atmanirbhar in milk, a strong supply chain managed by farmers, and investments in infrastructure. We must make efforts to ensure our products are accepted in overseas markets and we are exporting 20 per cent of our production.”
The Dairy Industry Conference brought together industry professionals to discuss global dairy trends, farm innovations, sustainability within the sector, climate change, nutrition, and health with the objective of making India a hub of dairy innovations and solutions. The latest technologies in milk production, storage, processing, and packaging solutions were also displayed during the three-day expo.
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