Every year on June 1, World Milk Day is observed to emphasize the importance of milk as a global food. The day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2001. It provides an opportunity to draw attention to activities associated with the dairy sector.
The Theme of World Milk Day
This year, World Milk Day will focus on accelerating climate action and reducing the dairy sector’s environmental impact. The platform of World Milk Day will be utilized to raise awareness about Dairy Net Zero, a movement towards achieving net-zero emissions in the dairy industry.
Main Points of Discussion
Various aspects of the dairy sector are encouraged to be discussed on World Milk Day. These include its contributions to food, health and nutrition, the responsibilities of farmers towards their communities, land, and animals, sustainable practices in the sector, and how dairy contributes to economic development and livelihoods.
The Indian Dairy Sector
India leads the world in milk production, accounting for 22% of global production, closely followed by the USA, China, Pakistan, and Brazil. The country has seen steady growth in milk production, registering a compound annual growth rate of approximately 6.2%. This equates to a production increase from 146.31 million tonnes in 2014 to 209.96 million tonnes in 2020-21. The top five states in India contributing to milk production are Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.
Government Initiatives in the Dairy Sector
The Government of India has initiated several programs aimed at improving the dairy sector. These include the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, which aims to enhance milk production through genetic upgradation of bovine breeds, and the Gopal Ratna Award 2021, which encourages individual farmers, artificial insemination technicians, and dairy cooperative societies.
The Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme is an initiative that offers free-of-cost artificial insemination services at farmers’ doorsteps. The e-GOPALA app is a comprehensive breed improvement marketplace and information portal for farmers.
The National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) was launched to develop the infrastructure of dairy production, procurement, processing, and marketing across the country.
The Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) Scheme, launched in 2017, aims to modernize dairy processing and chilling plants.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying introduced an initiative to provide interest subvention on working capital loans for the dairy sector under its scheme, Supporting Dairy Cooperatives and Farmer Producer organizations engaged in dairy activities (SDC&FPO).
Lastly, the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) was introduced to facilitate farmers’ access to institutional credit at favorable interest rates for working capital expenditure.
Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
Launched in 1998, the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme provides farmers with timely and adequate credit support from the banking system under a single window with flexible and simplified procedures for their cultivation and other needs. The scheme was extended in 2004 to cover farmers’ investment credit requirements for allied and non-farm activities.
The primary objectives of the KCC include meeting the short-term credit requirements for crop cultivation, post-harvest expenses, marketing of produce, consumption requirements of farmer households, and working capital for the maintenance of farm assets and allied agricultural activities.
However, the short-term credit support is not available for the purchase of heavy farm machinery such as combine harvesters and tractors or for construction of family homes and setting up of village cold storage facilities. The Kisan Credit Card Scheme is implemented by Commercial Banks, RRBs, Small Finance Banks, and Cooperatives.
