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In a divergence from global trends, India's dairy sector experiences a robust 6% growth, propelled by the substantial contribution of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul), as highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

More on the news

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated five projects worth Rs 1,200 crore at the Golden Jubilee celebration of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which runs the brand Amul.
• PM Modi highlighted Gujarat's contribution to India's dairy sector, highlighting the double-engine government and the double-engine milk production in the state.

The numbers

• India has the world's largest bovine population and is a leader in milk production.
• In the past 10 years, the milk production in India has gone up by around 60% and the per person availability of milk has grown by around 40%.
• At a time when the global dairy sector is growing merely at a rate of 2%, India’s dairy sector is growing at a rate of 6%.
• In the last 2 decades, the number of milk corporations in the state has doubled from 12 to 23.
• Women participation: More than 36 lakh people are connected with the dairy industry, including 11 lakh women. Out of the 16,384 milk houses, 3300 are completely run by women.
• State-wise production:
  • Uttar Pradesh contributed the highest share of milk production at 15.7%, followed by Rajasthan (14.44%), Madhya Pradesh (8.73 %), Gujarat (7.49 %) and Andhra Pradesh (6.70 %).
  • The highest annual growth rate was recorded by Karnataka (8.76%) followed by West Bengal (8.65%) and Uttar Pradesh (6.99%).

Challenges faced in dairy farming in India

• Low milk-yield per animal
• Insufficient quality of milk products
• Decentralized structure of dairy farming in India
• Limited awareness about scientific veterinary practices among rural farmers

Important Government Initiatives

• The government has built 60,000+ AmritSarovarsacross the country. This very initiative will not only benefit farmers but will also strengthen the rural economy.
• The government has provided Kisan Credit Card facility to cattle farmers and fish farmers.
• The National Programme for Dairy Development was launched in 2014. It aims at strengthening infrastructure for milk production and processing, encouraging value-addition in milk and milk products apart from increasing farmers’ access to organised markets.
• The Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund was initiated in 2017.
• The government has launched the RashtriyaGokul Mission towards development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds.
• Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme focuses on vaccination of animals of economic and zoonotic importance.