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The govt intends to empower rural India by modernizing agricultural support systems and increasing financial inclusion, with a target of 2 lakh cooperatives. Additionally, the program will open up new doors for women, kids, and farmers nationwide

10,000 Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (MPACS) and Dairy and Fisheries Cooperative Societies were inaugurated in New Delhi by Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. Prominent dignitaries attended the occasion, including the Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation, Union Ministers of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal and Murlidhar Mohol, and Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy Rajiv Ranjan Singh.

Amit Shah congratulated Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on their birth anniversaries during his introductory comments. He described Malviya as a cornerstone of the Indian freedom struggle, dedicated to the country’s independence, traditions, and values. Shah highlighted Vajpayee’s visionary leadership, which significantly impacted the evolution of contemporary India. Among Vajpayee’s achievements were the creation of a ministry for tribal affairs, the advancement of India’s nuclear arsenal, and ground-breaking infrastructure projects like the Golden Quadrilateral highways and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Shah also commemorated the anniversary of C. Rajagopalachari’s death in recognition of his role as a freedom fighter and his significant input into the drafting of India’s Constitution.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s centennial was celebrated with the opening of 10,000 new MPACS. Shah underlined that this significant occasion pays tribute to Vajpayee’s legacy, especially his contribution to the passage of the 97th Amendment to the Constitution, which fortified the cooperative sector. Additionally, he disclosed that these PACS were registered in a record 86 days following the creation of a standard operating procedure.

Shah emphasized the government’s goal of establishing cooperatives in every Panchayat and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for implementing the guiding idea of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” (Prosperity via Cooperation). The initiative’s goal is to reinforce the three-tier cooperative system, which forms the basis for rural development, by creating 2 lakh new PACS.

Shah stated that the registration of these PACS was made possible in large part by NABARD, NDDB, and NFDB. Additionally, he emphasized how computerization has modernized PACS and allowed them to be integrated with 32 crucial tasks, including as water management, fertilizer delivery, and storage. They are now more relevant and functional in rural regions because to this technical advancement. A comprehensive training curriculum has been established to facilitate this shift by giving PACS workers and members the necessary skills. Shah encouraged district cooperative registrars to make sure the training program is implemented effectively so that cooperative societies may become more capable.

The govt intends to empower rural India

AgroPolicy, Dairy, Fruits, India, Vegetables

 Several Memorandum of Understandings were also signed among reputed institutions to leverage mutual expertise across the dairy value chain during NDDB’s Diamond Jubilee Year and the birth anniversary of Tribhuvandas Patel ji.

Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs & Cooperation launched farmer-oriented activities during NDDB’s Diamond Jubilee Year and the birth anniversary of Tribhuvandas Patel ji at NDDB’s TK Patel Auditorium on 22nd October 2024 in Anand.

The event commenced with Union Minister of Home Affairs & Cooperation laying the foundation stone of NDDB’s new office building in Anand along with laying foundation stone of other significant projects such as Mother Dairy’s Fruit & Vegetable Processing Plant in Itola, Vadodara and IDMC’s Polyfilm Plant in Narela, Delhi. In addition, the event featured launch of Gir Ghee from Mother Dairy and Badri Ghee from Uttarakhand Cooperative Dairy Federation which are leveraging the traceability mechanism of Bharat Pashudhan.

During the event, Manipur Milk Union was also given financial support by handing over of cheque to Manipur Milk Union by Chief Guest under the NDDB’s scheme ‘Revitalising Producer Owned Institutions’. Mother Dairy also shared the profit earned to farmers from whom they had purchased apricots from Ladakh, apples from Himachal Pradesh and pineapples from Meghalaya and making it available to the consumers. Further. first of its kind initiative in the dairy sector for monetisation of carbon credits in the country, dairy farmers from Rajasthan and Assam received payments under the NDDB and Sustain Plus Manure Management Programme. This represents a significant step towards ensuring additional income for dairy farmers through carbon credits on a sustainable basis.

In addition, several Memorandum of Understandings were also signed among reputed institutions to leverage mutual expertise across the dairy value chain including organics which will help taking the sector forward. These agreement included: collaboration between NDDB and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to conduct cutting-edge research in One-Health focusing on innovation in animal health and sustainability; collaboration of National Cooperative Organics Limited with Mother Dairy and NDDB Mrida Limited to promote distribution of organic products as well as promoting organic farming practices; collaborations of  NDDB and Suzuki R&D Center India (SRDI) with Amul and Mehsana Milk Union to establish compressed biogas plants for rural mobility enhancing sustainable energy production along with organic ferilisers; partnership between NDDB and the Space Applications Centre (SAC), ISRO, to use remote sensing technology to assess fodder resources for improved resource management.

In his address Chief Guest, Amit Shah called for increasing the depth and spread of dairy cooperatives in new areas in which White Revolution 2.0 and formation of 2 lakh new cooperatives will play a major role.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj stated that under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the country has made significant progress in milk production with several new initiatives like Indigenous Sex Sorted Semen, Unified Genomic Chip, Genomic Services for farmers etc.

Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, mentioned that with guidance and continued support from the central government, NDDB is committed to take new innovations, initiatives and activates to make our dairy sector more remunerative to farmers as well as making India a major player in the global dairy sector.

 Several Memorandum of Understandings were also signed

Agro Universities, Collaborations, India, R&D, Sustainability, Sustainable Energy

It aims to improve rural livelihoods by assisting stakeholders in generating carbon credits through mitigation measures.

The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the Suzuki R&D Center India Pvt. Ltd (SRDI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collectively advance initiatives in renewable energy, circular economy, rural development and waste management. This collaboration aims to improve rural livelihoods by assisting stakeholders in generating carbon credits through mitigation measures, exploring mechanisms for carbon credit exchange and developing methodologies and tools for assessing carbon footprints of rural livelihood activities. All three organizations will also collectively undertake comprehensive studies, assessments, training programmes and share research and training facilities to further the objectives of MoU.

The newly signed MoU outlines the roles of NDDB, TERI and SRDI in promoting sustainability and improving rural livelihoods. NDDB will support surveys and pilot initiatives by leveraging its rural network. Collaborating with TERI and SRDI, NDDB will assist in generating carbon credits and providing technical expertise. TERI will conduct assessments with focus on carbon credits and pilot projects, aligning their efforts with sustainability goals. SRDI will support assessments by linking with national and international entities, as well as assisting in carbon credit quantification. Additionally, SRDI will encourage innovative solutions for sustainability in the dairy sector.

The MoU was signed in presence of Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman and Managing Director, NDDB; Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI and Kenichiro Toyofuku, Director, SRDI. The partners also agreed to jointly represent their collaborative research, methods, findings and policy solutions at various forums to promote sustainable rural development.

Emphasizing the importance of this collaboration, Dr Vibha Dhawan said, “ The partnership with NDDB and SRDI will enable us to expand our efforts in promoting sustainable practices in rural areas. Through research, training and capacity building, we empower farmers and rural communities to embrace eco-friendly methods and contribute to a circular economy,” she highlighted.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr Meenesh Shah stated that this MoU represents a significant milestone towards sustainable rural development. “By combining our strengths and resources, we are ready to develop innovative solutions that will not only improve rural livelihoods but also promote environmental sustainability. Our collaborative efforts in renewable energy, waste management and carbon credit mechanisms will lead to a greener and more prosperous future for rural communities and propel India towards net zero dairying,” he added.

 Kenichiro Toyofuku informed that SRDI, as an Indian subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, is focused on technology development for mobility and achieving carbon neutrality. He further added, “One of our key objectives is to adopt clean fuels like dung-based biogas for mobility. This MoU with NDDB and TERI is a noteworthy step towards deeper engagement with the dairy sector, helping us achieve sustainability goals for both the automotive and dairy industries. Together, we can drive innovative solutions that benefit the environment and rural livelihoods.”

It aims to improve rural livelihoods by

Agrotech, Dairy, India

The Mobile Milk Collection & Cooling system is designed for trials and will initially be deployed by the Ladakh Milk Federation.

Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and IDMC Ltd, along with Kenichiro Toyofuku, Director of Suzuki R&D Center India Pvt Ltd (SRDI), flagged off a Mobile Milk Collection & Cooling System at Anand in Gujarat.  A Mobile Milk Collection and Cooling system developed jointly by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), Suzuki R&D Centre India Pvt Ltd (SRDI) and IDMC Ltd will be fist used for milk collection in remote parts of Ladakh.

The system with capacity of 300-litre is mounted on a Maruti Suzuki Super vehicle and is powered by the vehicle’s engine. Additionally, a Data Processor-based Milk Collection Unit (DPMCU) is installed on the vehicle, powered by a 100W solar panel.

Dr Shah mentioned that the system will provide automated testing convenience at the farmer’s doorstep, facilitate fair and transparent milk collection, preserve milk quality and ensure the shelf life of milk with immediate on-site cooling. This will also provide access to organised milk procurement systems for dairy farmers in remote or adverse locations and efficiently handle specialised milk types such as cow milk, camel milk, etc.

Dr Shah also informed that the system enhances access to organised milk procurement for dairy farmers in remote or challenging locations, efficiently handling specialized milk types like cow milk and camel milk. The prototype system is designed for trials and will initially be deployed by the Ladakh Milk Federation.

Dr Shah emphasised that the system provides automated milk testing at the farmer’s doorstep, ensuring fair and transparent milk collection, preserving milk quality, and extending the milk’s shelf life through immediate on-site cooling.

Toyofuku noted that this initiative not only provides convenience for mobile milk collection but also contributes to the improvement of milk quality.

The Mobile Milk Collection & Cooling system

AgroPolicy, Dairy, India

The new headquarters building will be a 100 per cent green building

Amit Shah, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation laid the foundation stone of the headquarters of National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India (NCDFI) Limited in Gandhinagar, Gujarat and addressed the e-Market Awards 2023 ceremony. Many dignitaries including Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat Legislative Assembly Speaker Shankar Choudhary, IFFCO Chairman Dilip Sanghani, NDDB Chairman Dr Meenesh Shah and NCDFI Chairman Dr Mangal Rai were present on the occasion.

In his address, Amit Shah said that the dairy and especially the cooperative dairy sector in our country has achieved multi-dimensional goals. He said that if the cooperative sector does not do milk trading, then milk production remains limited to a middleman and the milk user. But suppose the cooperative sector cooperatively trades milk. In that case, many dimensions are integrated into it, because the aim is not to make profit only and it has multidimensional benefits to the society, agriculture, villages, milk producers and ultimately the country. He said India has experienced this success story in the last 50 years.

The Minister of Cooperation said that today India has reached first place in the world’s milk production with a 24 per cent share. He said that if a cooperative dairy is to be run, then many institutions will have to be formed to nurture it and NCDFI will do this work. In a way, NCDFI is doing the work of guiding all dairies. Shah said that White Revolution started in the village ‘Vasi’ and now the headquarters of NCDFI is going to be built in the same Anand district in an area of about 7000 square meters. It will be built at an expense of about Rs 32 crore and will be operated through a solar power plant. He said that the new headquarters building will be a 100 per cent green building.

The new headquarters building will be a

Award, Dairy, Live Stock, People

Shreeja receives global recognition for Innovation in Women Empowerment in the Dairy Sector .

Shreeja, an Indian Women Dairy Organisation at the foothills of Lord Balaji temple Tirupati, received the award for Innovation in Women Empowerment in the Dairy Sector at a grand ceremony in Chicago, the United States last night.

Receiving the award on behalf of an impressive over 120,000 women dairy farmers, Chief Executive Officer of Shreeja Mahila Milk Producer Company (SMMPCL) Jayatheertha Chary said, “It is the proudest movement for women dairy farmers of the country and the organisation to get the honour on a global platform for the empowerment of women dairy farmers. It behooves the world’s largest women base in the dairy industry for implementing several initiatives and programs aimed at enhancing women’s leadership and empowering them within the dairy sector”.

Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary (AHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying was present on the occasion. Expressing her happiness on the award, she congratulated NDDB, NDDB Dairy Services and Shreeja Milk for the achievement and encouraged them to continue with the pathbreaking efforts.

Chairman NDDB & NDDB Dairy Services (NDS) Dr Meenesh Shah who was elected to the Board of the International Dairy Federation (IDF) as a delegate of the General Assembly, said “Women have played an integral part in the success of dairying in India and it was only a matter of time before their contributions get acknowledged in the global stage. This year, IDF released its first Women in Dairy report which features 15 case studies from across the globe, of which 4 case studies are of Shreeja, Sakhi, Asha and Paayas, the producer organizations technically supported by us.”

NDS has helped facilitate the formation of 22 Milk Producers’ Organisations, including Shreeja, with a focus on women empowerment in the dairy sector with an infusion of the latest technology, online payment mechanism and enhancing the productivity of indigenous breeds of milch animals.”

An exuberant K Sreedevi, Shreeja Chairperson said, “This global recognition and award at the international stage is enthusing and humbling for each of over 1.20 lakh women dairy farmer members and their families and we owe it also to the support provided by the NDS for taking us where we are today. This will spur us to work harder and expand aggressively in the states where we are operating from.”

Currently, the company, spread across 11 districts of 3 states (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Tamil Nadu) with an average milk procurement of 5.5 LLPD and hoping to touch a turnover of Rs1,000 crore this fiscal, he said. SMMPCL is eying at women membership of 1.5 lakh, milk procurement of 6.5 LLPD and joining the ‘Unicorn’ club shortly, Chary said.

Shreeja receives global recognition for Innovation in

Dairy, India, Live Stock, People

Dr Shah has been instrumental in sensitising the world about the unique smallholder-based Indian dairying system in different international forums.

Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman & Managing Director, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has been elected to the Board of International Dairy Federation (IDF) during the General Assembly of IDF on 15th October 2023. 

Accepting this responsibility and thanking the IDF delegates for the trust bestowed on him, Dr Shah mentioned that a representative from India, contributing more than 23 per cent of the global milk production, is on the Board of IDF, which will ensure a more inclusive and better global dairying ecosystem. This will also help putting forth the voice of millions of dairy farmers from the smallholder-based dairying system to the global forum and help design suitable policies, frameworks, systems and processes. 

He further said that the collective journey with other countries will help bring out the best for the global dairy sector. While India continues to contribute to the growth of the global dairy sector, it will also be able to leverage the expertise of other nations towards advanced scientific measures and technologies to make Indian dairying more efficient, effective and sustainable. 

Dr Shah has been associated with IDF since long in different capacities and has been instrumental in sensitising the world about the unique smallholder-based Indian dairying system in different international  forums. He is the Member Secretary of the Indian National Committee and also a member of the Standing Committee on Dairy Policy and Economics. He had spearheaded successful organisation of the World’s largest Dairy Conference – IDF WDS 2022 in India in September 2022, which was inaugurated by Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India in presence of Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs & Cooperation, Govt of India also chaired the concluding session on relevance of cooperative institutions for dairy sector on the opening day. The event saw large scale participation of ministers, policy makers, experts, scientists, farmers from India and abroad. 

IDF is the leading source of scientific and technical expertise for all stakeholders of the dairy chain. IDF’s network of dairy experts has provided a mechanism for the dairy sector to reach global consensus on how to help feed the world with safe and sustainable dairy products. IDF members are National Committees, generally constituted by dairy organizations in each country and India is represented by the National Committee (INC) of the IDF.

Dr Shah has been instrumental in sensitising

AgroPolicy, Dairy, India, Live Stock, R&D

Rahuri Semen station in Maharashtra tops the list of 55 players with 97 per cent score in the Evaluation report by Central Monitoring Unit followed by 95 per cent for Animal Breeding Centre, Salon In U.P

The government of India has put the NDDB Dairy Services (NDS) owned Rahuri Semen Station in Maharashtra as India’s numbero Uno on parameters ranging from quality and animal genetics to health and safety protocols, with its other semen station getting an “A” ranking, the Company said here.

 A Technical Audit report of 55 Semen Station across the country for 2022-23 by the Central Monitoring Unit (CMU) was submitted to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Government of India earlier this month where Rahuri was given a marking of 97 followed by 95 for Animal Breeding Centre Salon, a NDS station, in Utter Pradesh.

 The CMU report accorded a total of nine semen stations a score of 90 and above under Grade A. The other seven include the two NDS stations – Sabarmati Ashram Gaushala, Bidaj in Gujarat and Alamadhi Semen station in Tamil Nadu; Karnataka Govt’s station at SLBTC Hessarghetta; Kerala Government’s station at Dhoni; Bihar Govt’s station at Purnea (Under NDS), BAIF’s station at Uralikanchan and BSSRC Hisar.

Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, of NDDB, who is also the Chairman of NDS said “It is a proud moment for all of us and this will spur us to do more for the service of the dairy farmers. Credit for this goes to the dedication of the teams of Veterinary experts and scientists who are working to enhance the productivity of the milch animals and propagation of the genetics of the indigenous breeds. 

“The semen stations run by NDDB Dairy Services are amongst the best professionally managed semen stations not only in India but also in the world. These stations adhere strictly to the quality protocols and have in place stringent bio-security measures to produce disease-free semen. The evaluation report of CMU and the scores received by our stations revalidate our processes and expertise,” he said. 

 The NDS stations have close to 1800 high genetic merit bulls of 35 breeds and together sold over 5.2 crore doses during the evaluation period 2022-23. These stations are also actively involved in In vivo and Invitro embryo production and transfers.

Rahuri Semen station in Maharashtra tops the

Agrotech, Biofuel industry, Company News, Dairy, India, Live Stock

As per the agreement, in initial phase 4 numbers of Biogas plants will be established in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat by 2025.

Banas Dairy, a prominent name in the dairy industry under the brand of GCMMF-AMUL, has taken a significant step by signing a three-party agreement between Suzuki R&D Centre India Private Limited (SRDI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation in India, and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to establish Animal Dung based Biogas Production Plants.

The contract conclusion ceremony was held at the Embassy of India in Tokyo, Japan, in the presence of His Excellency Sibi George, the Ambassador of India to Japan, along with T Suzuki, President, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, Shankarbhai Chaudhry, Speaker of Gujarat State Assembly & Chairman- Banas Dairy, Meenesh Shah, Chairman- NDDB, Jayen Mehata, Managing Director- GCMMF-Amul and Sangram Chaudhary, Managing Director- Banas dairy.

This meaningful collaboration began when Banas Dairy signed an MoU with Suzuki and NDDB in December 2022. This project is focused on making India cleaner and helping farmers earn additional income from by-products of their animal husbandry business. This cleaner energy of Bio CNG can be further utilized for production of Green Hydrogen as well as Liquid Bio Methane (LBM) as a green energy sources.

As per the agreement, in initial phase 4 numbers of Biogas plants will be established in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat by 2025. This numbers of plants can be further increased as per mutual agreement of all parties. These plants will play a crucial role in reducing pollution and preserving our environment and also generate green and clean energy, with a total investment of approximately Rs 230 Crores. Additionally, biogas filling stations will be set up alongside each plant to distribute fuel for CNG vehicles, and organic fertilizer production facilities will be established to promote Organic Farming.

Shankar Chaudhry, Chairman of Banas Dairy, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “This project is a testament to the vision of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is guiding us to create a greener India and provide our farmers with additional income opportunities with Net Zero Carbon Neutrality and promoting circular economy. These projects are an initial step to make Banaskantha district, an organic district and energy self-reliant district. We are proud to be part of this important journey.”

As per the agreement, in initial phase

AgroPolicy, Dairy, Live Stock

The 2-day long symposium was aimed to foster insightful discussions and deliberations on the transformation to more efficient and sustainable agri-food systems, with a particular focus on the livestock sector.

Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying inaugurated an International Symposium on Sustainable Livestock Transformation at NDDB, Anand. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt of India; National Dairy Development Board (NDDB); Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations have jointly organised a 2-day Symposium under the Agriculture Working Group (AWG) of G20.

The 2-day long symposium was aimed to foster insightful discussions and deliberations on the transformation to more efficient and sustainable agri-food systems, with a particular focus on the livestock sector. Distinguished experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from the G20 who participated in the event exchanged knowledge, shared experiences, and explored innovative approaches to ensure the sustainability of the livestock sector.

The symposium was highlighted as a milestone event, driving transformative change in the livestock sector and fostering collaborations for a sustainable future.

The event also witnessed a panel discussion with experts from WOAH- (World Organization for Animal Health), WHO- (World Health Organization), FAO-(Food and Agriculture Organization), IDF-(International Dairy Federation), NDDB-(National Dairy Development Board), and the Department. A technical tour of Amul Dairy & Chocolate Plant, and Mujkuva DCS, where delegates from the G20 countries have given insights into the processing systems, milk collection, and biogas and solar cooperatives of the country.

Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary (DAHD), Govt of India; Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB; Dr Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner (AHC), Govt of India; Tiensin Thanawat, Director, Animal Production and Health Division, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO); Caroline Emond, Director General, International Dairy Federation (IDF); Dr Ailan Li, Assistant Director General, Healthier Population Division, WHO and other eminent dignitaries graced the occasion. A total of 28 foreign participants from FAO, Kenya Dairy Board, Canada, USA, France, Russia, UK, Australia, Mauritius, Brazil, The Netherlands etc participated.

Union Minister commended NDDB for organising the symposium and emphasised the role of technology in the livestock sector. He said that the Symposium deliberations will help disseminate various innovations in the livestock sector for sustainable transformation.

Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, DAHD said that sustainable transformation in the livestock sector becomes more relevant considering the quantum of farmers and other stakeholders associated with the sector, its role in providing livelihoods & food security and the prominence of smallholder production systems.

In his welcome address, Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB said that we are looking forward to engaged deliberations amongst experts for making the livestock sector more sustainable and move towards a more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable livestock sector for – ‘Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment and Better Life.’ This symposium will definitely give all of us a good platform to mutually learn from each other, chalk out a strategy and plan to address some of the contemporary challenges that both the developing and developed countries of the world are facing today in the livestock sector, including One Health, climate change and sustainability.

The 2-day long symposium was aimed to

Agrotech, Dairy, Live Stock, R&D

Laxmi is from a high genetic merit IVF embryo having the potential for the production of 35-40 kg milk a day.

NDDB Dairy Services (NDS) announced the birth of the first female calf ‘Laxmi’, under the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India’s Accelerated Breed Improvement Programme through IVF Embryo Transplant (ABIP-IVF-ET). The programme targets establishing two lakh pregnancies through the transplant of IVF embryos of high genetic merit to enhance the milk yield for dairy farmers.

The results of nine months of hard ground work which started with the transplant of IVF embryos in September 2022, have started coming in. Since the news of more births only seems to pour in, with 13 healthy female births confirmed to date. Laxmi is the first female calf born from the surrogate transplanted with an IVF embryo at Rajarambapu Patil Cooperative Milk Union Ltd., Islampur (Sangli), in Maharashtra. More than 250 births are expected in due course from cows and buffaloes whose pregnancies through IVF embryo transplants have been confirmed.

“Laxmi is from a high genetic merit IVF embryo having a potential for production of 35-40 kg milk a day, which is nearly double the average of the existing cattle owned by dairy farmers in this area,” said an exuberant Sushil Dilip Khot, the dairy farmer beneficiary who has just expanded his herd with the birth of Laxmi.

Meenesh Shah, NDDB & NDS Chairman, shared that the journey has not been easy. “When we initially started, the success rate with IVF embryo transplant was as low as 9 per cent, which today has reached, in some cases, up to 46 per cent. The success depends on the proper selection of the surrogates & its management, and there is still a lot of work required in the area.”

NDDB’s wholly owned subsidiary, NDS is one of the service providers identified by the DAHD, Government of India, for the execution of the programme. NDS last year kicked off the implementation on September 22 from Islampur in Maharashtra, said a Company spokesperson.

The NDS team have been working relentlessly for over a year and has already scaled the programme to 15 milk unions in six states, i.e. Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Punjab, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. Since September 2022, the team so far has transferred 1,436 embryos, out of which 1,211 have been examined for pregnancies. During the current financial year, embryo transplant activity will be scaled up, and another 3,000 IVF embryo pregnancies are expected to be established.

The choice of breed of the embryo to be transplanted lies with the farmer, and the gender-sorted IVF embryos of about 6 indigenous cattle and 1 buffalo breed have been used to ensure that 90 per cent of calves born are female. As the calves will have none of the characteristics of the surrogate, the potential of producing milk goes up to 15-20 kgs from Gir and Sahiwal breeds of cows and 20 kgs from the Murrah buffalo breed, the NDS spokesperson said.

Laxmi is from a high genetic merit

Dairy, Live Stock, Sustainability

A roadmap for the revival of the Pradesh Cooperative Dairy Federation – popularly known as Parag Dairy, has also been prepared

Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman National Dairy Development Board, has said that NDDB is committed to the development of the dairy sector in Uttar Pradesh, for which it is working with the Government of Uttar Pradesh. A roadmap for the revival of the Pradesh Cooperative Dairy Federation – popularly known as Parag Dairy has also been prepared, and discussions are on to bring its idle capacities to better utilisation.

“When we took over the Varanasi Milk Union’s 2 Lakh litre per day capacity dairy plant, just more than a year back, it was operating merely at 6,000 to 7,000 litres, which is now operating at more than one Lakh litre per day. This reinforces that by providing better services to milk producers and bringing about professionalism and efficiencies in operations, the dairy cooperatives can be revived in Uttar Pradesh. However, the revival of the dairy sector in Uttar Pradesh through cooperative strategies would require joint efforts of Dairy Cooperatives and Milk Producers’ Organisations.” Dr Shah said.

He was speaking to the journalists after inaugurating the mobile milk vending van operation for the sale of milk at the consumer doorsteps in Agra. Besides, he inaugurated one Bulk Milk Cooler and a Bio-gas plant in nearby villages, where he also distributed maize fodder seeds to dairy farmer members of Saahaj Milk Producer Company Limited to promote quality fodder.

Dr Shah said that “this has been possible with the negotiation with the agency by taking into account carbon credits earned from these biogas projects, thus enabling the supply of biogas plants to the farmers at a minimum rate. I am happy to inform you that we are now targeting to set up at least 50,000 biogas plants across India the milk farmers organisations as this will help the environment besides supplementing the income of the farmers.”

A roadmap for the revival of the

Dairy, India, Live Stock, Sustainability

The dairy farmers took the pledge and thanked the Government for outlining the way forward by giving them the cherished goal of making the country a global leader

On the occasion, the dairy farmers members of 22 Milk Producer Companies (Farmer Producer Organisations which embody principles that are similar to Cooperatives) came together and committed themselves to: ‘Make India Dairy of the World by increasing India’s share of the total world production’; ‘Provide quality milk and milk products to consumers by sourcing milk even from the remotest part of the country’; ‘Provide a competitive price to farmer members through a fair and transparent process of milk collection and making payments in their respective bank accounts’ and ‘Increase milk productivity through breed improvement programs and better animal management practices’. 

Meenesh Shah, Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and it is subsidiary NDDB Dairy Services, which is at the forefront of driving India’s efforts towards an apex global position in milk production, said, ‘The world dairying community only months’ back paid rich tributes to rural India and dairy farmers at the World Dairy Summit 2022. We are part of this proud community of milk producers and are working on numerous initiatives for enhancing production and productivity in India towards making the dream of the Prime Minister a reality.’

In colourful events from distant Tirupati to coastal Gujarat to the spreads of Rajasthan to the hinterlands of UP and Bihar, the dairy farmers took the pledge and thanked the Government for outlining the way forward by giving them a cherished goal of making the country a global leader to attain the target of 33 per cent market share in the decade to come. 

It is pertinent to note that India’s collective drive towards ‘Dairy of the World’ has women empowerment ingrained into it, as out of 22 Milk Producer Companies supported by NDS, 15 have all-women membership and all the Producer Directors on their Boards too are women. These 22 MPCs spread across 130 districts in 9 states of the country, have 8.7 Lakh members and 71 per cent of them are women. 

The dairy farmers took the pledge and

AgroPolicy, Dairy, India, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Trade

States that a decision will be taken after watching the demand-supply position later in the summer

The central government clarified that no final decision has been taken on the import of milk products such as ghee and butter and that if at all such a decision is taken, imports would be routed only through the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), which would ensure that the market is not distorted and the interests of dairy farmers are protected.

The government cleared this after former Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said the Centre’s decision to import milk products will be unacceptable as it directly affects the income of the domestic milk producers and impedes the revival of the dairy sector from the covid-19 pandemic.

Purushottam Rupala, Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries stated that only states that a decision will be taken after watching the demand-supply position later in the summer, which inter alia means that no final decision has been taken in this regard.

States that a decision will be taken