India has recorded an 80 per cent growth in the export of dairy products at $492.9 million during 2024-25, making it an important earner of foreign exchange in the food segment. In volume terms dairy exports worked out to 113,350.4 metric tonnes during the financial year, registering a growth of 77.9 per cent over the corresponding figure of 2023-24, according to official figures.
The major export destinations for Indian milk products include the United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Bhutan. India has ranked first in milk production in the world since 1998 and now contributes 25 per cent of global milk production.
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, while world milk production is growing at 2 per cent per annum, according to official figures 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.
The minister also mentioned details of the various schemes that the Government is implementing to boost the dairy sector. The Centre’s National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) Department is being implemented across the country to complement and supplement the efforts for milk production and milk processing infrastructure made by State Governments.
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 of eligible projects set up by individual entrepreneurs, Dairy Cooperatives, Farmers Producer Organisations, Private Companies, MSMEs and Section 8 companies for their investment for processing and value addition in the animal husbandry sector by scheduled banks.
Under the scheme, credit facilities are to be made available for establishment of dairy processing and value addition infrastructure, animal feed manufacturing plant, breed improvement technology and breed multiplication farm, animal waste to wealth management (Agri Waste management) and veterinary vaccine and drugs production facilities.
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 by providing incentivisation to the individual, FPOs, SHGs, Section 8 companies for entrepreneurship development and also to the state governments for breed improvement infrastructure.
Besides, the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme provides for prophylactic vaccination against animal diseases, capacity building of veterinary services, disease surveillance, and strengthening veterinary infrastructure, the minister added.
