India’s milk production has grown remarkably over the past decade, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6 percent. This surge is evident from the increase in production from 187.30 million tonnes in 2018-19 to 230.58 million tonnes in 2022-23
Per capita availability of milk in India stands at 459 grams per day significantly higher than the global average of 322 grams per day
NEW DELHI, MAY 31, 2024: World Milk Day, celebrated annually on June 1st of every year is a moment to acknowledge the significant contributions of the dairy sector to nutrition, livelihood, and global agricultural economies. In India, dairy is the single largest agricultural commodity, contributing 5 percent to the national economy and directly employing more than 8 crore farmers. India’s prominence in the dairy sector is national and global, as it ranks first in milk production, contributing 25 percent to the world’s total milk output.
India’s milk production has grown remarkably over the past decade, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6 percent. This surge is evident from the increase in production from 187.30 million tonnes in 2018-19 to 230.58 million tonnes in 2022-23. Further as per the FAO Dairy Market Review (2023) milk production of India is estimated to reach 236.35 million tonnes in 2023-24 registering a growth of 2.5% over the last year beating the world average growth rate. This growth is significantly higher than the global milk production growth rate of 1.3 percent in 2023 over the previous year, highlighting India’s robust development in this sector.
The per capita availability of milk in India stands at 459 grams per day for 2022-23, significantly higher than the global average of 322 grams per day as reported in the Food Outlook June 2023. This abundance not only supports the nutritional needs of India’s vast population but also underscores the efficiency and productivity of the Indian dairy industry.
India has made significant strides in the cooperative sector. Within this sector are 22 Milk Federations/Apex Bodies, 240 district cooperative milk unions, 28 marketing dairies, and 24 Milk Producer Organizations. These organizations encompass approximately 230,000 villages and include 18 million dairy farmers as members.
A notable aspect of India’s dairy industry is the substantial involvement of women, with 35 percent of women participating in dairy cooperatives. There are 48,000 women dairy cooperative societies operational at the village level nationwide, fostering inclusive growth and empowering women in rural areas.
Over the last decade, India’s milk production has grown by about 6 percent annually, reaching an impressive 231 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2022-23. This remarkable increase underscores the dynamic nature of India’s dairy sector, which supports a vast livestock population of 303.76 million bovines, and 74.26 million goats. India proudly holds the title of the world’s largest livestock owner, with a total livestock population of 536.76 million.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is supporting the dairy production by inducting supportive Schemes and Programmes to enhance the milk production and productivity of bovines to meet growing demand of milk and making dairying more remunerative to the rural farmers of the country.
About the Author
