Dairy Sector a ‘Safety Net’ for Farmers: NABARD
The Chairman of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Shaji K V, has highlighted the crucial role of India’s dairy industry in protecting rural livelihoods, describing it as a “safety net for farmers” during periods of crop failure or income instability. Speaking at an agri-business event, he said the dairy sector provides regular cash flow to farmers, unlike seasonal crop income, helping households maintain financial stability and meet daily expenses.
He emphasised that the sector is dominated by small and marginal farmers, many of whom own only a few cattle but depend on milk sales for steady earnings. The chairman noted that strengthening dairy value chains, improving credit access and expanding infrastructure such as chilling, processing and market linkages will be critical for sustaining farmer incomes and boosting rural economic growth.
He also pointed out that institutions like NABARD play a key role in supporting dairy development through credit, refinance support and rural infrastructure funding, enabling cooperatives, farmer producer organisations and dairy enterprises to expand operations and improve productivity. The comments underline the continuing importance of dairy farming as a resilient livelihood option for millions of rural households in India.
Source: Dairynews7x7 14th March, 2026 Read full story here
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