Kerala’s Malabar Union societies win Gopal Ratna first and second prizes, affirming the region’s excellence in cooperative dairy production.
The National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) 2025, India’s highest honors in the livestock and dairy sector, have heavily favored the cooperative societies under the Malabar Regional Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union (MRCMPU), affiliated with Milma. This outstanding performance saw two of its milk cooperative societies clinch the top two spots in the Best Dairy Cooperative Society category, a significant recognition of operational excellence within Kerala’s dairy supply chain, with 2,081 applications received nationwide for the 2025 awards.
The top national honors were awarded to the Meenangadi Dairy Cooperative Society in Wayanad, which secured the first prize, and the Kunnamkattupathy Dairy Cooperative Society in Palakkad, which was adjudged the second best. These societies will receive substantial monetary awards of ₹5 lakh and ₹3 lakh, respectively, underscoring the government’s commitment to incentivizing excellence and efficiency in grassroots dairy operations that form the backbone of the nation’s milk production.
This success is not an isolated event for the Malabar region. Dairy cooperatives under MRCMPU have demonstrated consistent top-tier performance in previous award cycles, showcasing durable standards in dairy management and quality. Historical winners include the Deepthigiri Dairy Cooperative Society, which won second prize in 2021, and the Mananthavadi and Pulpally societies, which secured first prizes in 2022 and 2023, respectively, establishing a clear pattern of regional dominance in the national dairy landscape.
The NGRA awards were instituted by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The formal presentation ceremony will be presided over by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) during the National Milk Day celebrations on November 26. This date is highly symbolic, as it coincides with the birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien, the revered “father of India’s White Revolution,” emphasizing the awards’ link to the nation’s dairy legacy.
The Chairman of Milma, K S Mani, highlighted the profound significance of the achievement, calling it a “proud achievement for dairy farmers across Kerala,” with a specific recognition for the dedication shown by those operating within the Malabar region. This acknowledgment reinforces the cooperative model’s success in driving quality, efficiency, and socio-economic benefits, setting a high standard for other dairy cooperative unions across India and the international dairy community.
Source: Find the complete list of award recipients in the report from The Week.
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