According to data cited in the report, the total annual milk output per animal in the United States is 10,954 kg, which is more than five times higher than India’s 1,948 kg per year. Similarly, milk yields in New Zealand outstrip India’s by 128%, and Denmark’s annual output stands at 10,187 kg per animal. This stark comparison highlights why India remains cautious about opening its sensitive dairy sector to large global corporations.

The report, titled “Role of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for Protection and Development of Indigenous Cattle Breeds,” notes that while a federal program, the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, was launched in 2014 to improve indigenous breeds, the overall productivity remains low. However, it also points to a positive trend: the annual productivity of indigenous breeds like Gir has increased from 3.25 kg per day in 2013-14 to 4.17 kg in 2022-23, marking the fastest growth globally, albeit from a very low baseline.

India’s unique cooperative model, driven by millions of small farmers, is the backbone of the country’s dairy production. The article cites the 2021-22 Economic Survey, which states that less than half of the marketable milk surplus is handled by the organized sector, including cooperatives. The remaining is managed by the unorganized sector, which further complicates efforts to implement large-scale productivity improvements.