Lok Sabha Question No. 1308 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-11
Subject: Milk Products
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Shri Sasikanth Senthil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1308 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 th  FEBRUARY 2025

## MILK PRODUCTS

## 1308. SHRI SASIKANTH SENTHIL:

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

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the low productivity in milk production despite India having the largest livestock population globally, and if so, the factors identified for this issue;
- (b) the measures being to improve the nutrition, management practices, and genetic potential of local cattle breeds to enhance milk yield;
- (c) whether any initiatives are being implemented to promote scientific breeding and improve fodder quality in the country, and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the steps being taken to provide training and support to dairy farmers in adopting best practices to improve livestock productivity; and
- (e) the targets set by the Government to increase the average annual milk yield per animal to meet or exceed the global average, and the timeline for achieving the same?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) and (e) The productivity of Indigenous bovine breeds in the country is low compared to advanced dairy nations globally and this is mainly due to low genetic potential of dairy animals and animals are maintained on low plane of nutrition.  However, the total productivity of Bovines in the country has increased from 1640 kilograms per animal per year in 2014-15 to 2072 kilograms per animal per year in 2023-24 that is by 26.34% which is the highest productivity gain by any country in the world.  The productivity of the indigenous and non-descript cattle has increased from 927 kilograms per animal per year in 2014-15 to 1292 kilograms per animal per year in 2023-24 that is by 39.37 %. The productivity of the buffaloes has increased from 1880 kilograms per animal per year in 2014-15 to 2161 kilograms per animal per year in 2023-24 that is by 14.94%. Milk production in the country has increased from 146.31 Million Tonnes in 2014-15 to 239.30 Million Tonnes in 2023-24 that is by 63.55 % during the last  10  years.  Rashtriya  Gokul  Mission  envisages  to  achieve  productivity  of  bovines  upto  3000 kilograms of milk per animal per year by 2030.
- (b), (c) and (d) In order to complement and supplement the efforts of the States and Union Territories to improve the nutrition, management practices, genetic potential of local cattle breeds and to provide training and support to dairy farmers in adopting best practices, the details of the steps undertaken and schemes being implemented by Government of India is as under:
1. Rashtriya Gokul Mission: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing Rashtriya Gokul Mission since December 2014 for development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds, genetic upgradation of bovine population and enhancement of milk production and productivity of  bovines.  Following  efforts  are  being  made  under  the  scheme  to  enhance  milk  production  and productivity of bovines:
- (i) Nationwide  Artificial  Insemination  Program:  Under  the  Rashtriya  Gokul  Mission,  the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is expanding artificial insemination coverage to boost the milk production and productivity of bovines, including indigenous breeds.
- (ii) Progeny Testing and Pedigree Selection: This program aims to produce high genetic merit bulls, including bulls of indigenous breeds. Progeny testing is implemented for Gir, Sahiwal breeds of cattle,

and Murrah, Mehsana breeds of buffaloes. Under the Pedigree selection programme Rathi, Tharparkar, Hariana, Kankrej breed of cattle and Jaffarabadi, Nili Ravi, Pandharpuri and Banni breed of buffalo are covered.

- (iii) Implementation  of  In-Vitro  Fertilization  (IVF)  Technology:  To  propagate  elite  animals  of indigenous breeds, the Department has established 22 IVF laboratories. The technology has important role in genetic upgradation of bovine population in single generation. Further, to deliver technology at reasonable rates to farmers Government has launched IVF media.
- (iv) Sex-Sorted Semen Production: The Department has established sex sorted semen production facilities at 5 government semen stations located in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. 3 private semen stations are also producing sex sorted semen doses.
- (v) Genomic Selection: To accelerate genetic improvement of cattle and buffaloes, the Department has developed unified genomic chips-Gau Chip for indigenous cattle and Mahish Chip for buffaloesspecifically designed for initiating genomic selection in the country.
- (vi) Multi-purpose  Artificial  Insemination  Technicians  in  Rural  India  (MAITRIs):  Under  the scheme  MAITRIs  are  trained  and  equipped  to  deliver  quality  Artificial  Insemination  services  at farmers' doorstep.
- (vii) Accelerated Breed Improvement Programme using sex sorted semen: This program aims to produce female calves with up to 90% accuracy, thereby enhancing breed improvement and farmers' income. Farmers receive support for assured pregnancy upto 50% of the cost of sex sorted semen.
- (viii) Accelerated  Breed  Improvement  Programme  using  In-Vitro  Fertilization  (IVF)  technology: This technology is utilized for the rapid genetic upgradation of bovines and an incentive of Rs 5,000 per assured pregnancy is made available to farmers interested in taking up IVF technology.
2. National  Livestock  Mission  (NLM):  National  Livestock  Mission  (NLM)  aims  to  create employment generation, entrepreneurship development, increase in per-animal productivity and thus targeting  increased  production  of  meat,  goat  milk,  egg  and  wool  under  the  umbrella  scheme Development Programme.  The scheme envisages following three submissions: (i) Sub-Mission on Breed Development of Livestock and Poultry; (ii) Sub-Mission on Feed and Fodder Development and (iii) Sub-Mission on Innovation, Extension. Details of the activities covered under these submissions are as under:
- (A) Sub-mission on Breed Development of Livestock and Poultry:  This Sub-Mission has following activities: (I) Establishment of Entrepreneurs for breed development: under this activity following sub activities are included (i) Establishment of Entrepreneurs for breed development of Rural Poultry and (ii) Establishment of Entrepreneur for breed development in small ruminant sector (sheep and goat farming). (II) Genetic Improvement of Sheep and Goat breeds: under this activity following are the sub activities: (i) Establishment of Regional Semen Production Laboratory and Semen Bank for sheep and goat;  (ii)  Establishment  of  State  Semen  Bank:  (iii)  Propagation  of  Artificial  Insemination  through existing cattle and buffalo Artificial Insemination centers and (iv)  Import of exotic sheep and goat germplasm.  (III) Promotion of Piggery Entrepreneur. (IV) Genetic Improvement of Pig breeds: Under this  activity  following  activities  are  implemented:    (i)  Establishment  of  pig  semen  collection  and processing lab and (ii) Import of exotic pig germplasm. (V) Establishment of Entrepreneurs for horse, donkey, mule and camel. (VI) Genetic Improvement of Horse, Donkey, Mule, Camel:  (i) Regional Semen  Station  for  Horse,  donkey  and  camel;  (ii)  Nucleus  Breed  Farm  for  Conservation  of Horse/Donkey/Camel germplasm and (iii) Breed Registration Society.
- (B) Sub-Mission on feed and fodder development: The Sub-Mission of the feed and fodder is covering the following activities: (I) Assistance  for  quality  Fodder  seed  production.  (II)  Entrepreneurial activities  in  feed  and  fodder.  (III)  Establishment  of  Entrepreneurs  for  Fodder  Seed  processing Infrastructure (processing and grading unit/ fodder seed storage godown). (IV) Fodder production from Non-Forest Wasteland / Rangeland / Non-arable Land' and 'Fodder Production from Forest Land.
- (C) Sub  Mission  on  Innovation  and  Extension:  Under  this  Sub-Mission  the  following  are  the activities:  (I)  Research  and  Development  and  innovations.  (II)  Extension  activities.  (III)  Livestock Insurance programme.
3. National  Programme  for  Dairy  Development:  This  scheme  focuses  on  creating  dairy infrastructure  for  the  procurement,  processing,  and  marketing  of  milk  and  milk  products  in  the cooperative dairy sector inter alia training and awareness programs for dairy farmers, input services such as cattle-feed and mineral mixtures, and assistance for quality testing of milk and milk products, thereby improving the economic condition of dairy farmers enrolled in cooperatives.
4. Livestock Health and Disease Control (LH & DC): The scheme is implemented for providing assistance for control of animal diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease, Brucellosis and also to provide assistance to State Governments for Control of other infectious diseases of livestock including dairy animals. Mobile Veterinary Units are established under the scheme to deliver quality livestock health services at farmers doorstep. Under the vaccination programme: (i) more than 100 crore vaccinations have been done against FMD including 35 crore vaccination performed during current year; and (ii) about 4.3 crore calves vaccinated against Brucellosis under brucellosis control programme including 1.3  crore  calves  vaccinated  during  current  year.  Under  the  component  of  Establishment  and Strengthening of Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries (ESVHD- MVU), 100% financial assistance is provided towards procurement & customization of Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) with recurring operational expenditure in the ratio of 90:10 for North Eastern & Himalayan States; 60% for other States, and 100% for UTs for delivery of veterinary healthcare services through Mobile Veterinary Units  (MVUs)  through  a  Toll-Free  Number  (1962)  at  farmers'  doorsteps  which  include  disease diagnosis,  treatment,  vaccination,  minor  surgical  interventions,  audio-visual  aids  and  extension services. So far, 4016 MVUs are operational in 28 states and 65 lakh farmers benefitted. This helps in increasing productivity
5. Animal  Husbandry  Infrastructure  Development  Fund  (AHIDF)  The  scheme  is  to  facilitate incentivisation of investments to establish (i) Dairy processing and product diversification infrastructure,  (ii)  Meat  processing  and  product  diversification  infrastructure  and  (iii)  Animal  Feed Plant (iv) Breed Improvement Technology and Breed Multiplication Farm, (v) Veterinary Vaccine and Drugs  production  facilities,  (vi)  Animal  waste  to  wealth  management  (Agri-waste  Management). Keeping in view of the success of AHIDF, the erstwhile Dairy Processing Infrastructure Development Fund has been subsumed with the AHIDF on 01.02.2024. Now total size of the fund is Rs 29110 cr.

The  Department  of  Animal  Husbandry  and  Dairying  is  implementing  Centrally  Sponsored Scheme National Livestock Mission with a Sub-Mission on Feed and Fodder Development. Under the Submission, fodder development activity is  undertaken  through  strengthening  of  fodder  seed chain (Breeder-Foundation-Certified)  thereby  improving  the  availability  of  certified/quality  fodder  seeds required for production of high quality and  nutritious fodder. Approx.  1.03 lakh Tons of fodder seeds were produced under the Component Assistance for Quality Fodder Seeds Production since 2021-22 with  release  of  funds  of  Rs.636.83  crores.  The  details  of  the  progress  under  the  component  is  at Annexure-I

Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)-  Indian  Grassland  and  Fodder  Research Institute ( IGFRI) Jhansi along with its All India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Forage Crops & Utilization with 22 coordinated centers located in 21 states of the country are dedicatedly working on development of high yielding and nutritious fodder crop varieties for different agro-climatic conditions of the country and many varieties have been released for cultivation. Different approaches of crop improvement viz. speed breeding, apomixes; gene editing, SS markers, transgenic etc. are being used to develop high yielding trait specific cultivars. Major thrust are being placed for the development of varieties with attributes of high yielding, nutritionally superior, climatically resilient and resistant for different biotic factor. Till now more than 400 improved varieties in 40 fodder crops has been developed for different parts of the country and out of these about 200 varieties are in seed production chain. During last five years (2019-2024) nutritionally better and high yielding 86 varieties/ hybrids in 17 fodder crops have been identified/ notified for the cultivation in different agro-climatic regions of the country.

Progress under component Assistance for Quality Fodder seeds Production under realign National Livestock Mission (NLM)

## I. Physical Progress - Year and Class wise Fodder Seed Production (Qtls)

| Class of seeds   |   2021-22 |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |            Total |
|------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------------|
| Breeder          |    530.13 |       0   |       0   |       0   |    530.13        |
| Foundation       |   6120.87 |   21864.8 |   15312.9 |   12832.1 |  56130.6         |
| Certified        | 104852    |  303222   |  407874   |  159383   | 975332           |
| Total            | 111503    |  325087   |  423187   |  172215   |      1.03199e+06 |

## II. Financial Progress - Year-wise Release of funds

| Year                     |   Release of funds (Rs.in crores) |
|--------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| 2021-22                  |                            100.44 |
| 2022-23                  |                            159.99 |
| 2023-24                  |                            156.07 |
| 2024-25 (As on 4.2.2025) |                            220.31 |
| Total Releases           |                            636.83 |