With a view to meeting rapidly growing demand of milk in the country, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has chalked out 15-year National Dairy Plan (NDP) entailing an investment of Rs 17000 crore. Total outlay of Rs 1600 crore has been envisaged for the first phase (from 2011 to 2017), which will give thrust on bovine productivity and milk production.
India's milk demand is projected to rise to 180 million metric tonnes (MMT) by 2021 from current 108 MMT. "In last one decade, the milk production in India witnessed an annual growth rate of around 4 per cent, which is almost double than the world average. However, the demand of milk is increasing at much faster rate. In absolute terms the incremental milk production is 2.5 MMT per annum, which will have to be 5 MMT to meet the target of 180 MMT by 2021," Amrita Patel Chairman, NDDB told reporters at its headquarter in Anand today.
She attributed rising incomes in urban areas, changing food habits, an increase in population and spurt in demand in rural areas due to social schemes such as National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (NREGA) to the surge in milk demand.
As in the case of Operation Flood, the NDP is proposed to be implemented by NDDB as a multi state focussed initiative in phases with financial assistance largely from the World Bank. The first phase will see to increasing bovine productivity, expanding coverage of milk producers and procurement and human resource development. The remaining phases will also see processing and marketing.
In order to take care various services related to NDP, NDDB has decided to float a company called NDDB Dairy Services Ltd," the chairman added.
"To increase productivity, we require large semen station. We already have 49 semen stations in the country and need at least five mega stations. Full-proof bio-security at these stations is a must to produce desired results. Apart from that, private sector participation should be encouraged for this activity, as the segment has now acquired commercial value and it also requires huge investment. For BPL families, the government should make provision for subsidy in the cost of AI delivery," she said.
Based on the proposed NDP prepared by NDDB, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying of the Government of India has concluded a series of high level consultations with 14 major dairying states (accounting for more than 90 percent of India’s milk production) on initiatives to launch a scientifically planned programme to increase bovine productivity and milk production.
Considering the interest shown by the states in the consultations and the urgent need to expedite action to increase milk productivity and milk production to meet the rapidly growing demand, NDDB would now prepare Detailed Project Reports for five to six states to begin with. Once the Government of India and the World Bank approve the projects, implementation will commence.
