New Delhi, Nov 21 – India plans to fast-track its National Dairy Plan in the coming years to meet the rising demand of milk in the country, which is expected to touch 180 million metric tonnes (MT) by 2022.
The country will need 150 million MT of milk by 2017, Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar said when briefing members of parliament on the first phase of the National Dairy Plan which is being implemented in 14 states.
Sharad said that although milk production has grown from 17 million MT to more than 130 million MT today, productivity of milk cattle would need to be increased significantly to meet rising demand.
“While world milk production grew at the rate of 2.2 percent in the last decade, our growth rate at 4.2 percent is almost double than the world average,” the minister said.
“With growing incomes, demand for milk is increasing rapidly in the country. Emerging trends indicate that milk demand is likely to be 150 million tonnes at the end of 12th five year plan (2012-2017) and more than 180 million tonnes by the 13th plan.”
To meet the demands, incremental annual production of milk must grow at a rate of six million tonnes per year over the next 10 years.
The Phase I of the National Dairy Plan launched April last year is focusing on improving milch animal productivity and increasing milk production through a scientific approach to breeding and feeding.
It will focus on 14 major milk producing states which account for over 90 percent of the country’s milk production.
– Bernama
