India's milk production increased by 4 per cent to 239.3 million tonnes in 2023-24, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh said.
Union Minister Singh said the per capita availability of milk has also increased to 471 gm per day in 2023-24 from 459 gm per day in 2022-23. The minister noted that the average growth in India's milk production has been 6 per cent as against 2 per cent of the world's average.
The government released Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2024 on the occasion of National Milk Day 2024, which is celebrated every year on November 26 to honour the Father of the white revolution, Verghese Kurien, who was born on this day.
Speaking at an event to mark National Milk Day, the minister said the milk production has increased to around 239 million tonnes in 2023-24 on the back of improvement in productivity.
The report says, "The milk production from exotic/crossbred cattle has grown by 8 percent and that of indigenous cattle has risen by 44.76 percent during 2023-24 in comparison to the previous year.
Total egg production rose by 3.17 per cent to 142.77 billion in 2023-24, the report said. "The per-capita availability of eggs is 103 eggs per annum," it added. India is the world's 2nd largest in egg production.
Meat production, the report said, grew 4.95 per cent, and was estimated to reach 10.25 mt in 2023-24. The total wool production in the country was pegged at 33.69 million kg.
The minister stressed that dairy farmers should be brought into the organized sector, as it will enhance milk production and their income and remove the middlemen.
He also spoke about the need to increase the export of dairy products.
The Minister asked the dairy farmers to vaccinate their animals as the government is giving free vaccinations to help them protect their cattle from diseases.
He said the foot and mouth disease and brucellosis would be eradicated from the country by 2030 and this would help enhance exports.
The minister also asked the dairy farmers to adopt sex-sorted semen and artificial insemination in a big way.
The government was also focusing on breed improvement of livestock, the Union Minister said.
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