India ranks number one in milk production and accounts for 26 per cent of world milk production. The milk economy is estimated to be more than Rs 8 lakh crores. Milk alone contributes about 4 per cent to the Indian GDP. Milk production in the country is growing at 5 per cent compared to the world growth of 1.5 per cent, according to Indian Dairy Association (South Zone) chairman Dr Satish Kulkarni and central executive committee member and Dodla Dairy chief executive officer BVK Reddy.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday to announce the Dairy Industry Conference (DIC) at Hitex in Hyderabad from March 4 to 6, the members said nearly 80 million farmers are dependent on dairying for livelihood. About 70 per cent of labour in dairy management is contributed by women. Nearly 20 per cent of total milk production is contributed by Southern India. Dairy along with crop farming continues to be the backbone of the Indian rural economy.
India accounts for about 15 per cent of the world’s cattle population and 60 per cent of the buffalo population. The current milk production is estimated at 230 million tonne. India will continue to be the largest milk producer in the world for many more years to come.
Despite its large contribution to the Indian economy, there is no minimum support price mechanism, unlike the several agricultural commodities. The dairy economy is market driven and it is in the interest of the Government to further create the required infrastructure for the growth of the sector, said Kulkarni. Southern India contributes significantly to the Indian dairy economy accounting for nearly 20 per cent of total milk production. Andhra Pradesh contributes the largest estimated at 8 per cent and combined with Telangana accounts for 50 per cent of milk production from the southern states.
More than 80 per cent of marketable surplus in Southern India is collected by the organised sector, which is much larger than the national average of 52 per cent, said Reddy. IDA, started in the year 1948, is organising the golden jubilee edition of DIC. Industry and government officials will participate in the event. It will host Southern dairy ministers in a conclave scheduled on March 5.
