Gujarat’s milk production up by 119.63 lakh metric tons in 22 years; average growth of 10.23%

Anand: Being a complete food, milk is considered one of the best and healthiest foods, as it is rich in calcium and vitamins. Celebrated every year to highlight the importance of milk, promote milk production in India, and enrich rural livelihoods, National Milk Day is observed on 26th November. It coincides with the birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien, the Father of the White Revolution.

India has now become the “Milk Production Hub” globally. Along with the country, Gujarat has also profited in the field of milk production. Over the last 22 years, while the country’s milk production has recorded an average annual increase of 8.46 percent, Gujarat has seen an increase of 119.63 lakh metric tonnes, equating to an average increase of 10.23 percent. Today, Gujarat ranks fourth in the country with an annual milk production of 172.80 lakh metric tonnes, contributing 7.49 percent to India’s total milk production.

With the rise in milk production in Gujarat, the per capita availability of milk has also seen an unprecedented increase over the last 22 years. In 2000-01, the per capita availability of milk in Gujarat was only 291 grams per day. By 2022-23, the per capita milk availability in the entire country reached 459 grams per day, while Gujarat’s per capita milk productivity increased to 670 grams per day.

The Amul Federation plays a bridging role between cattle breeders and consumers in Gujarat. Established in 1973 with only 6 member unions and a turnover of ₹49 crores, the Amul Federation now has 18 member unions in Gujarat. Through these unions, Amul collects more than 3 crore litres of milk daily. Amul produces various products from the milk collected in Gujarat and sells them across India and in around 50 different countries. Amul’s dairy development model has made India proud globally by creating a self-reliant model for the socio-economic development of animal husbandry.

Gujarat Government’s efforts to increase milk productivity

The operation of the “Sexed Semen Laboratory” at Patan has proven beneficial. The milk productivity of the state continues to increase, with more than 90 percent of animals giving birth to high-quality calves through the use of sexed semen produced in this lab. Furthermore, the current fee for artificial insemination using sexed semen at state government institutions has been reduced from ₹300 to ₹50.

In addition, the government is promoting IVF in cattle to increase the number of high-genetic-quality female cattle with high milk production. The government provides ₹25,000 in assistance for this procedure, which costs ₹19,780, allowing herders to only pay ₹5,000 for IVF treatment.

As a result of these efforts, Gujarat has seen significant increases in milk productivity. Compared to 2000-01, the milk productivity of indigenous cows has increased by 57 percent, hybrid cows by 31 percent, buffaloes by 38 percent, and goats by an average of 51 percent in 2022-23.