Union MoS George Kurian urges dairy farmers and cooperatives to adopt quality and value-addition strategies as new testing facility opens.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurian, has called on Kerala dairy farmers and cooperatives to prepare for what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dubbed the second White Revolution—a renewed nationwide push to strengthen India’s dairy sector with a focus on quality assurance, value addition and market competitiveness. Kurian’s comments came during the inauguration of a major new food testing laboratory in Kochi, underscoring the strategic role of science and infrastructure in dairy growth.
Kurian highlighted that institutions like Milma, the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, must lead efforts to equip local producers with the tools and capabilities needed to thrive in a more competitive environment. He noted that the vision for the next phase of dairy development places emphasis on value-added products and quality benchmarks that align with both domestic and export market demands.
The newly opened NDDB CALF Food Testing Laboratory—established at a cost of ₹8 crore with full funding from the Indian central government and developed jointly by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and Milma—was described as a timely, strategic intervention for Kerala’s dairy economy. Located adjacent to Milma’s Ernakulam Regional Union office at Edappally, the lab is part of the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) and aims to bolster food quality and safety systems.
Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 with approvals from NABL and FSSAI, the facility is equipped to conduct comprehensive testing on milk and milk products. Its capabilities include microbiology, wet chemistry, residue detection and contaminant analysis, positioning Kerala’s dairy sector to meet rigorous quality standards that appeal to processors and buyers across value chains.
Beyond laboratory testing, the CALF centre plans to extend services to private players and food entrepreneurs and to broaden its scope to include testing for fruits, vegetables, spices, fish and ready-to-eat foods in phased expansion. It will also host targeted training programmes for cooperative staff, professionals and students—reinforcing commitments to science-led dairy growth, farmer empowerment and food safety as Kerala positions itself for an influential role in the second White Revolution.
Source: The Hawk reporting on George Kurian’s remarks — https://www.thehawk.in/news/india/kerala-must-gear-up-for-pm-modis-second-white-revolution-push-mos-george-kurian
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