India’s milk production increased by 35.04 per cent, during the period between 2015-16 and 2020-21 to top 200 million tonnes (mt). This information was provided in the Lok Sabha by Parshottam Rupala, Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

In a separate response, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the US has agreed to resume Indian mango imports from this year. Karnataka led the 55-mt rise (from 155 to 210 mt) in six years , while Uttar Pradesh is the top producer in terms of total production. 

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According to the provisional figures provided in the Lok Sabha, India’s milk production increased to 210 mt in 2020-21. The production was 155 mt in 2015-16 Karnataka’s milk production has seen an increase of 72.39 per cent (4.59 mt) during the period between 2015-16 and 2020-21. The State’s milk production went up from 6.3 mt in 2015-16 to 10.9 mt in 2020-21. 

Top producer Though Uttar Pradesh remained the top producer of milk in the country with 31.36 mt in 2020-21, the production declined by 1.58 per cent over 2019-20. However, the production was up by 18.84 per cent (4.97 mt) during the period between 2015-16 and 2020-21. Barring 2017-18, milk production was in a declining trend in Kerala in all other years between 2015-16 and 2020-21.

The overall reduction in milk production was around 1.15 lakh tonnes during the six-year period. There was decline in production in states such as Andhra Pradesh (3.60 per cent), Haryana (3.84 per cent), Uttarakhand (2.56 per cent), Arunachal Pradesh (27.61 per cent), Manipur (20.74 per cent), and Sikkim (12.01 per cent) in 2020-21 when compared to 2019-20. To a query in Lok Sabha on the steps taken by the Government to increase milk production in the country,

Rupala said the Government has been implementing some major Central sector and Centrally-sponsored schemes to enhance milk production. The Government has been implementing Rashtriya Gokul mission since 2014 for the development and conservation of indigenous breeds, genetic upgradation of bovine population and enhancement of milk production and productivity of bovines, thereby making milk production more remunerative to farmers engaged in dairying. He said the national programme for dairy development aims to enhance the quality of milk and milk products and increase share of organized milk procurement.

Source : Hindu Business line Feb 10 2022