Lok Sabha Question No. 3580 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-17
Subject: Non-bovine Milk
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Smt. Sanjna Jatav, Thiru Dr. S Jagathratchakan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3580 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2024

## NON-BOVINE MILK

## 3580.  SHRI S JAGATHRATCHAKAN: SMT. SANJNA JATAV:

## Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING मत्स्यपालन , पशुपालन और डेयरी मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether non-bovine milk could be the future due to its therapeutic, medicinal properties insulin and low-lactose properties with cheap farming compared to cattle, milk could be the future in country; and
- (b) the details of the initiatives that proposed to be taken by the Government to explore the numerous therapeutic  properties  of  the  milk  of  non-bovine  species,  such  as  goats,  sheep,  camels,  donkeys, yaks, etc.?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING (SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH)

- (a) Non-bovine  milk  holds  a  huge  potential  due  to  its  nutritional  and  therapeutic  properties.  In developed countries, most of the milk is produced from cows.  India has varied animal resources which are producing milk. The milk produced from sheep, goat, camel and donkey has claimed to have nutritional values and health benefits. Hence, India can play a critical role in the global market for  non-bovine  milk.  Food  regulatory  body  of  country,  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of India (FSSAI) has also laid standards for goat, sheep and camel milk apart from cow and buffalo milk.
- (b) The  Department  of  Animal  Husbandry  &  Dairying,  Government  of  India  (DAHD,  GoI)  is implementing  a  Scheme  National  Livestock  Mission.  Under  this  schemes,  the  DAHD,  GoI  is implementing Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) for sheep, goat, camel and donkey for  which  up  to  ₹  50  lakh  is  provided  as  subsidy  to  the  individuals,  Farmers  Producers Organizations  (FPO),  Farmer  Cooperative  Organizations(FCO),  Self  Help  Groups(SHG),  Joint Liability  Group(JLG)  and  Section  8  companies.  Under  the  NLM  Scheme,  breed  upgradation programme for these species is also undertaken. The Scheme incentivizes research activities and innovations for the advancement of sheep, Goat, donkey, camel and other non-bovine livestock and livestock products.

To  bring  focus  in  this  area,  and  to  explore  further  opportunities,  the  Department  of  Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India, in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural

Research- Central Institute for Research on Goats (ICAR-CIRG) has organized National Goat Fair and  Exhibition  at  ICAR-CIRG,  Makhdoom,  Mathura  and  a  stakeholder  meeting  with  the  States, ICAR  Institutes,  Non-Government  Organizations  at  Agra  in  November,  2024  to  promote  Goat sector  and  Goat  Milk.  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research-  Central  Institute  for  research  on Goats  (ICAR-CIRG)  has  conducted  some  work  on  compositional  values  of  the  Goat  milk.  The nutritional profiling of goat milk, especially fatty acid, amino acid and mineral profiles have been evaluated and attempts have been made to further enhance the amount nutritionally and bioactive components in goat milk.

The DAHD, GoI, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization, India (FAO, India) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research- National Research Centre on Camel (ICAR-NRCC) is organizing  a  stakeholder  meeting  at  Bikaner,  Rajasthan  in  December,  2024  on  Camel  sector including  camel  milk.  Further,  a  stakeholder  meeting  has  been  proposed  at  Indian  Council  of Agricultural Research-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar in February, 2025 on Sheep development.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research- National Research Centre on Camel (ICAR- NRCC) is conducting studies to validate therapeutic values of camel milk, Characterization of Biomolecules from Milk of Non-Bovine Species, Evaluation of therapeutic potential of camel milk/milk-products as  an  adjunct  therapy  in  chronic  pulmonary  tuberculosis,    Evaluation  of  clinical  significance  of supplementation of pasteurized camel milk as an adjunct therapy in human patients suffering from Dengue fever, Evaluation of the effect of fermented camel milk in gastric ulcer management.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research- National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE) has initiated  a  project  entitled  'Establishing  a  model  precision  donkey  farming  and  exploration  of therapeutic  and  cosmetic  values  of  donkey  milk  to  enhance  farmers'  income'  and  'Integrated analysis for the ultra-deep compositional characteristics of donkey colostrum and mature milk'.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research- National Research Centre on Yak (ICAR-NRC on Yak) has taken up the projects and schemes for the assessment of the therapeutic potential of the milk of Yak in collaboration with IIT Roorkee.

Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research-  Central  Sheep  and  Wool  Research  Institute  (ICARCSWRI) has initiated steps for the Genetic improvement and propagation of Patanwadi sheep as dairy  sheep.  To  boost  the  production  of  sheep  milk,  ICAR-CSWRI  established  Patanwadi  sheep flock  at  institute  and  conducting  research  for  genetic  improvement  of  Patanwadi  sheep  as  dairy sheep through selective breeding.

All research being done as above will help in establishing value chains for marketing of such nonbovine milk.

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