TN Milk Output Claim Sparks Data Dispute
A debate has emerged over Tamil Nadu’s milk production after the Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers’ Welfare Association (TNMDWA) challenged claims made by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin that the State produces 3 crore litres of milk per day. The Chief Minister made the statement during an interaction at the “Kanavugal Meipadum” event held at the Chennai Trade Centre on March 6, also stating that the government aims to increase production to 4.5 crore litres per day by 2030.
However, TNMDWA founder-president S.A. Ponnusamy disputed the figure, alleging that officials from the Dairy Development Department and Aavin had provided inflated statistics. According to the association, Aavin’s procurement currently stands at about 30.47 lakh litres per day, and even after adding milk procured by private dairies and cooperative networks in neighbouring states, the State’s total milk production would not exceed 2.25 crore litres per day.
Ponnusamy also said Aavin’s procurement has declined from about 42 lakh litres per day during the previous AIADMK government to below 30 lakh litres per day since 2021. He further claimed that Aavin’s milk and dairy product sales were around ₹4,000 crore before 2011 and rose to ₹8,400 crore during the AIADMK regime, but have remained at a similar level over the past four-and-a-half years.
The association also noted that private dairy brand Arokya has overtaken Aavin in market size with sales of about ₹9,500 crore. Responding to the criticism, Milk and Dairy Development Minister T. Mano Thangaraj clarified that the Chief Minister referred to the State’s overall milk production, not just Aavin procurement. He said Aavin currently procures between 30 lakh and 38 lakh litres per day, while Tamil Nadu’s total milk production is about 3 crore litres daily, as farmers sell milk through multiple channels including cooperatives, private dairies and local markets.
Source: Dairynews7x7 11 March, 2026 Get full story here
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