Sumul Dairy appoints Kantibhai Gamit as chairman

INDIA – Surat-Tapi District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. (Sumul Dairy) has appointed former Gujarat Minister Kantibhai Gamit as the new Chairman, marking a new leadership phase for the prominent dairy cooperative.

Following the formation of the new Board of Directors, Bharatsinh Solanki (Dabha) of Palsana taluka, Surat district, was elected Vice Chairman.

The new leadership has generated interest among milk producers, dairy cooperative societies and stakeholders across Surat and Tapi districts. Sumul Dairy has a wide network of milk producers and village-level dairy cooperative societies in the region.

As Chairman, Shri Kantibhai Gamit is expected to focus on strengthening the cooperative network, improving milk procurement and production, and supporting the economic interests of milk producers.

The leadership may also give greater emphasis to modern dairy practices, technology and sustainable growth.

The appointment of Gamit as Chairman and Solanki as Vice Chairman comes at a significant time for Sumul Dairy, with dairy farmers and cooperative members looking forward to further expansion and development of the cooperative.

India’s milk production hits 247MT in 2025

India’s milk production 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.

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