Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala, informed the lower house on Tuesday that India is the world’s largest milk producer, accounting for 24% of global milk production in 2021-22.
He said milk production in India has surged by 51% in the last eight years, between 2-14 and 2021-22, reaching 22 crore tons in 2021-22.
The minister also said that the government runs various schemes to benefit farmer members, including financially weaker farmers. On the other hand, the national program for Dairy Development aims to enhance the quality of milk and milk products and increase the share of organized procurement, processing, value addition and marketing.
Many farmers in India make their living from animal husbandry. In addition to supplying milk, meat, eggs, wool, casting, and hides, animals, mainly bullocks, are the primary power source for both farmers and dairies. Hence, animal husbandry is vital to the rural economy in India.
Furthermore, Milk dairy and milk production has become a national strategic asset regarding food security and nutrition in the country.
It contributes significantly to farmer income because nearly 70 million farmers are directly involved in dairying. Dairy is the only agri-product in which farmers receive 70-80 per cent of the ultimate market value, accounting for around one-third of rural household income in India.
The market is predicted to expand by 4.68% each year, and in 2023, the milk segment’s production revenue will be $ 67.68 billion.
