Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, attended the 49th Dairy Industry Conference organized by the Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in Gujarat. The event was held in Gandhinagar and was attended by several dignitaries, including the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel.
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Dairy is a Critical Sector for India’s Growth and Development
- In his address, Shah emphasized the importance of the dairy industry for India.
- He noted that while dairy is a business for the world, in a country like India with a population of 130 crore, it is:
- a source of employment,
- an alternative to strengthen the rural economy,
- a solution to the problems of malnutrition, and
- a sector of immense potential for women’s empowerment.
- He praised the role of Cooperative Dairy in the prosperity of farmers and as a means of making poor women farmers self-reliant.
India’s Dairy Industry is Growing at a Rapid Rate
- Shah highlighted the growth of India’s dairy industry over the past decade, with an annual growth rate of 6.6 percent.
- He also noted that the Ministry of Cooperation, National Dairy Development Board, and Department of Animal Husbandry, formed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will establish rural dairies in 2 lakh panchayats in the country, which will lead to a growth rate of 13.80 percent.
- He praised India’s milk processing capacity, which is the highest in the world and noted that the government is working to increase exports by five times.
India Aims to be the Largest Milk Exporter in the World
- Shah discussed India’s progress in milk production and consumption, noting that the country has increased milk production from 6 crore litres per day in 1970 to 58 crore litres per day in 2022.
- He emphasized the government’s commitment to the development of the dairy sector and its goal to make India the largest milk exporter in the world.
- He also noted the need for a White Revolution 2.0 in the country, which will involve strengthening the cooperative model in the dairy sector.
India’s Ambitious Goals for the Dairy Industry
- Shah ended his address by discussing India’s ambitious goals for the dairy industry.
- He noted that India’s share in milk production has gone up to 21 percent and that after the formation of 2 lakh primary milk production societies in the country, 33 percent of the world’s milk production is likely to happen in India.
- He urged India to become the world’s largest market in the field of milk production and processing equipment.
- He concluded by stating that India aims to produce 33 percent of the world’s milk by the year 2033-34.
Indian Dairy Association: Apex Body of Dairy Industry in India for Six Decades
- The Indian Dairy Association (IDA) was established in 1948 and serves as the apex body of the dairy industry in India.
- The Association is managed by the Central Executive Committee (CEC) headed by a President and supported by two Vice-Presidents and 19 Executive Committee Members.
- The IDA organizes seminars, symposia, and exhibitions on various topics related to the development of dairying in India.
- Its headquarter is in Delhi, and it has zonal branches in Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi, with State Chapters at various locations.