During the dairy plant review, the Chief Secretary emphasized the strategic need to enhance farmgate-to-plant linkages to secure remunerative returns for rural producers across the high-altitude territory. Kundra called for targeted interventions to upgrade raw milk quality, directing departments to prioritize cattle breed improvement, scientific feeding regimens, systematic fodder development, animal induction programs, and expanded connectivity with village-level dairy cooperative societies.

To reinforce the regional milk collection network, administration officials were directed to identify and strengthen primary dairy societies, with plans to introduce refrigerated transport vehicles to ensure efficient cold-chain collection across remote valleys. Kundra also reviewed the Kargil dairy plant and outlined expansion strategies for dairy facilities in the Nubra region, emphasizing organic certification, the active integration of women’s dairy self-help groups, and the documentation of remote farmers’ success stories.

Beyond dairy operations, the Chief Secretary pushed for aggressive value addition in high-value indigenous horticultural crops, urging coordinated efforts between local cooperatives, research bodies, and government departments to scale commercial processing of apricot and sea buckthorn juices, pulp, and specialized derivatives. The multi-commodity strategy aims to diversify agricultural income streams across both Leh and Kargil districts.