The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) in India is implementing key schemes to enhance milk production, cattle genetics, and farmer income. Programs like Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Livestock Mission, and AHIDF focus on breed improvement, disease control, dairy infrastructure, and market linkages. These initiatives support rural farmers and ensure sustainable dairy growth.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, is implementing various schemes to strengthen India’s dairy value chain, from feed and breed improvement to processing, value addition, and market linkages. These initiatives aim to enhance milk production, improve cattle genetics, and provide economic security to farmers across the country.
According to official data, milk remains India’s most valuable agricultural product, surpassing the combined output of paddy and wheat, with a total value exceeding $134 billion (₹11.16 lakh crore) in 2022-23. The per capita milk availability has increased to 471 grams per day, exceeding the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommendation of 300 grams per day.
Key DAHD Schemes Supporting India’s Dairy Sector
- Rashtriya Gokul Mission (launched in 2014) focuses on the genetic improvement and conservation of indigenous cattle breeds. Under this scheme, the government has:
- Conducted 12.20 crore artificial inseminations, covering 8.32 crore animals and benefiting 5.19 crore farmers.
- Produced 3,988 high-genetic-merit bulls for semen production.
- Established 22 In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) laboratories for faster genetic improvement.
- Developed Gau Chip for cattle and Mahish Chip for buffaloes for genomic selection.
- Provided 50% cost support for sex-sorted semen, benefiting 341,998 farmers.
- National Livestock Mission (NLM) was revised in 2021-22 to focus on feed and fodder development, including:
- 100% subsidy for fodder seed production by government institutions.
- 50% capital subsidy up to ₹50 lakh ($60,000) for entrepreneurs investing in feed and fodder businesses.
- Support for fodder production on non-arable and forest land to increase feed availability.
- National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) supports dairy infrastructure development in cooperative sectors, including milk procurement, processing, and quality testing.
- Livestock Health and Disease Control (LH&DC) aims to prevent livestock diseases, with:
- 100 crore vaccinations against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
- 4.3 crore calf vaccinations against Brucellosis.
- 4016 Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) established across 28 states, benefiting 6.5 million farmers.
- Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) has been expanded to $3.5 billion (₹29,110 crore), supporting investments in:
- Dairy processing and product diversification.
- Breed improvement technologies and vaccine production.
- Animal waste-to-wealth management initiatives.
- 131 dairy processing projects worth $720 million (₹5,976 crore) have been sanctioned under this scheme.
These government-led initiatives are helping rural farmers improve productivity and income while ensuring India meets its growing dairy demand.
