Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed the state’s Dairy Development Directorate to undertake focused measures to strengthen milk production, expand the cooperative network, improve procurement and increase processing capacity, with the government also preparing a five-year roadmap for the sector. The review covered milk availability, production and demand, district-wise milk bases, Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS), processing infrastructure and implementation of the ₹5 subsidy scheme.
Assam currently produces 33.53 lakh litres of milk per day, equivalent to 12,240 lakh litres annually. The state has 2,006 organised Dairy Cooperative Societies, of which 1,032 are registered, while existing milk-processing capacity stands at 4.95 lakh litres per day, with another 4.20 lakh litres per day of capacity under development.
The upcoming processing projects are planned at Bajali, Kaliapani in Jorhat, Lahowal in Dibrugarh, Rangajan Gaon in Dhemaji, Jamugurihat in Sonitpur and Rani in Kamrup. The government wants these facilities, along with better milk procurement and cooperative coverage, to strengthen Assam’s organised dairy value chain.
Sarma has called for a day-long brainstorming session involving the Veterinary Department, Cooperative Department, milk processors and dairy farmers. The session will examine reorienting the subsidy framework, identifying gaps and high milk-producing areas, promoting traditional milk-production pockets, assessing a hub-and-spoke model for milk collection and processing, addressing infrastructure gaps and establishing Dairy Cooperative Societies in every village.
The Chief Minister has also directed the immediate filling of vacant posts in the Dairy Directorate through direct recruitment and promotion, along with a comprehensive livestock survey to enable evidence-based planning and targeted interventions. Particular emphasis has been placed on conserving and promoting the Lakhimi breed and expanding women-led Dairy Cooperative Societies to increase women’s participation in the dairy ecosystem.
The broader objective is to expand the organised dairy sector, improve milk procurement and processing, widen cooperative participation and create more sustainable opportunities for Assam’s dairy farmers. With additional processing capacity already coming up, the state is positioning production, procurement, cooperatives and processing as the four key pillars of its dairy expansion strategy. (m.economictimes.com)
Source: Dairynews7x7 2 Aug, 2026 Read full story here
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