India’s milk production hits 247MT in 2025

INDIA – India’s milk production has surged to 247 million tonnes in 2025, marking a significant milestone in the country’s dairy growth story, according to M L Jat, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Jat highlighted dairy’s dominance in the ₹17.25 trillion (US$185.27 billion) livestock sector, accounting for 65 per cent of output and driving 16 per cent of India’s gross value added (GVA), which supports 46.1 per cent of the population.

“The Union Budget has allocated ₹6,153 crore (US$660.83 million) for animal husbandry (up 16 per cent) to recruit 20,000 veterinarians, subsidize colleges/labs and provide cooperative tax relief, powering Viksit Bharat in 2047,” he said, while addressing the 22nd convocation of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (ICAR-NDRI) at Karnal in Haryana.

According to an NDRI release, Jat said India’s milk production surged from 17 MT (1950) to 247 MT (2025), led by Uttar Pradesh, with Punjab-Haryana topping yields and NITI Aayog projecting 480-606 MT demand by 2047.

Share of milk production was the highest (31.18 per cent) from the indigenous buffaloes followed by crossbred cattle (30.80 per cent), indigenous cattle (11.20 per cent), non-descript cattle (9.64 per cent), non-descript buffaloes (11.97 per cent), goat (3.32 per cent) and exotic cattle (1.89 percent) in the total milk production in the country.

India’s PM inaugurates Rajasthan’s first UHT Milk processing and packaging plant

In 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Rajasthan’s first Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) aseptic milk processing and packaging plant, marking a major milestone in the state’s dairy development.

The virtual inauguration, conducted from the National Agriculture Science Council in Pusa, New Delhi, underscores the government’s continued focus on modernizing agri-business infrastructure and enhancing farmers’ income through value addition.

The new facility, established by the Bhilwara Milk Producers’ Cooperative, is the first in the state equipped with a UHT packaging line capable of producing 200ml packs.

Developed at Rs 46.82 crore (US$5.27million) with technical support from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB, the plant will process and package milk and value-added dairy products that can be stored for up to six months without refrigeration.

The cooperative will launch Saras Chhaachh, Saras Lassi, and Saras Cream in 180ml aseptic packs under the Saras brand, leveraging Rajasthan’s strong dairy heritage while targeting both regional and institutional markets.

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