Modi was speaking at the inaugural session of the four-day International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit (IDF WDS) 2022, the theme of which is ‘Dairy for Nutrition and Livelihood’. In the event, about 1,500 participants from 50 countries, including industry leaders, experts, farmers, and policy planners, will exchange ideas and discuss issues related to the sector. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath welcomed PM Modi at the summit along with other dignitaries. The last such dairy summit was held in India about half a century ago in 1974.

Addressing the inaugural session, the PM said that the concept of ‘pashu dhan’ and occupations associated with milk have been an important part of the 1,000-year-old Indian culture. The PM listed out unique characteristics of the Indian dairy sector, the first being the small farmers who contribute the most. The second is the vast network of dairy cooperatives which are spread across 2-lakh villages involving 2-crore farmers, he said. “There are no middle men in this system; more than 70 per cent of the money received from the customers goes directly to the farmers,” the PM said. He also pointed out the indigenous species of dairy animals which can adapt to extreme climates.

Highlighting the role of women in the dairy sector, as another unique feature of the Indian dairy sector, the Prime Minister said that women make for 70 per cent of the workforce in the sector. “The real leaders of India’s dairy sector are women,” he said, adding the sector provides livelihood to 8-crore families.

“In the recent past, there has been a loss of livestock due to lumpy skin disease across many states in India. Our scientists have developed an indigenous vaccine for lumpy skin disease,” the Prime Minister said, adding efforts are also being made to control the disease by expediting testing and restricting the movement of animals.

The PM also said the total value of dairy production in the country is about Rs 8.5 lakh crore, which is more than the combined value of paddy and wheat production. The Indian dairy sector is known more for ‘production by masses’ than ‘mass production’, Modi said, adding the per capita availability of milk in India is higher than the world average.

Listing the measures taken by his government in the dairy sector, Modi said, “India produced 146 million tonnes of milk in 2014. It has now increased to 210 million tonnes. That is, an increase of about 44 per cent.”

The Prime Minister also said that as compared to the 2 per cent production growth at the global level, India is clocking the milk production growth rate at more than 6 per cent. He said the government is building the “largest” database of dairy animals. “We have resolved that by 2025, we will vaccinate 100% of the animals against foot and mouth disease and brucellosis,” he said.

Union Cabinet Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala said the last time a dairy summit was organised in India was in 1974 and at that time milk production was 23 million tonnes, which has now increased to 220 million tonnes.

In his address, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath said the state was the largest producer of milk in the country. He said that more than 4-lakh milk producers are working across the state.