Enhancing Milk Productivity, Output & Quality in India

Abstract

During 2015-16, 70 million farmers’ families engaged in dairying in India contributed to the record milk production of 146 million tons. Ambitious target of producing 300 million tons of milk by 2020 has been set. This necessitates the availability of livestock, animal health care, quality animal feed and fodder, efficient distribution, packaging and complete value chain system, among others. India among 194 countries should have seized opportunity to celebrate 16th World Milk Day on 1st June 2016 to create the awareness among all stakeholders the potential of milk & milk products to address country’s nutritional security & livelihood of 70 million farm families. For this, the need is greater now than before to double the milk yield per animal & significantly improve the milk quality to conform international standards. The goal of dairy farming in India cannot be just to maintain its number one position in milk production in the world but it should make dairy farming economically viable& financially bankable for small & marginal farmers and agricultural labourers and internationally competitive. Against this background, this article reviews the significant growth of dairy industry in India and suggests the strategic action plan to double the per animal milk productivity & 250 million tons of milk output by 2021-22 as estimated by the NDDB from 142 million tons in 2014-15.