Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar called upon the Gujarat Milk Marketing Co-operative Federation to expand its operations to multiple states. Such a move would help usher in white revolution across the country benefitting farmers in other States too.

“You need to look at expanding the Amul co-operative model to other states,” Pawar told members of the GCMMF on Wednesday. He was speaking after inaugurating the country’s largest dairy – Dudhmotisagar Dairy at Dharuhera in Harayana.

Dudhmotisagar dairy with a processing capacity of 30 lakh litres per day has been set up by Mehsana District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd, a member union of GCMMF, with an investment of around Rs 450 crore. The dairy can also produce up to 80 tonnes of curd and 2 lakh tonne of buttermilk every day.

Pawar also stressed the need to improve livestock breeds and step up quality and quantity of fodder production in the country. He also asked Amul to step up milk procurement in States such as Haryana and Rajasthan.

GCMMF Chairman Vipul Chaudhary said the new facility will help further strengthen Amul’s stronghold in Delhi and the National Capital Region, the fastest growing milk market. Amul sells about 24 lakh litres per day in NCR, where the pouched milk market is pegged at 50 lakh litres per day.

R.S. Sodhi, Managing Director, GCMMF, said farmer members of the milk co-operative get as high as 85 per cent of the price paid by the consumer. The spread of Amul’s operations to Haryana will benefit farmers in the region, he added.

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