Sarhad Dairy’s camel milk success strengthens rural incomes and broadens dairy innovation in Gujarat.
Sarhad Dairy’s camel milk processing plant in Gujarat — the first of its kind in India — reported an average procurement of 4,754 litres of camel milk per day in the 2024-25 fiscal year, marking a milestone for a product category long considered niche within the country’s dairy landscape. This initiative, led by the Kutch District Cooperative Milk Producers Union, demonstrates how cooperative structures can unlock new value streams beyond conventional bovine milk.
Over 350 camel farming families benefited from the initiative, receiving a total of ₹8.72 crore in annual payments, reflecting the economic impact camel milk procurement can have on pastoral and marginalised livestock producers in the Rann of Kutch. For these communities, camel milk serves not just as an alternative dairy product, but as a critical source of livelihood diversification.
Sarhad Dairy operates on a broad cooperative platform, collecting nearly 5.5 lakh litres of milk (bovine + camel) daily from around 80,000 producers and processing up to 4 lakh litres per day. Beyond raw milk volumes, the cooperative runs a 300-tonne cattle feed plant and produces about 50,000 litres of ice cream daily, supporting rural dairy infrastructure and value-added product streams.
Camel milk’s nutritional profile — rich in essential minerals and immune-supporting properties — has helped position it as “white gold” in Kutch, and Sarhad’s facility has secured primary organic certification and a deodorising processing line to enhance product quality. The plant also produces camel milk Rajbhog-flavoured ice cream, launched in February 2024 and expanding rapidly with 80 varieties, generating 24.52 lakh litres of ice cream in 2024-25 with peaks of 58,000 litres dispatch.
Sarhad Dairy’s success story extends beyond procurement volumes and product innovation. The cooperative’s model was featured at the International Dairy Federation Regional Conference, showcasing camel milk production as a potential blueprint for dairy diversification in the Asia-Pacific region. With historical growth — a turnover exceeding ₹1,200 crore and 9.09 % annual expansion — and daily disbursements near ₹3 crore to farmers, the initiative underscores how alternative dairy segments can augment traditional milk value chains.
Source: The Economic Times — https://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/indias-first-camel-milk-processing-plant-procures-4754-litres-daily-in-2024-25/articleshow/126819888.cms
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