Page 10 - Dairy Dimension - July Aug 25

| Volume 1 | Issue 5 | July-Agu 2025
Maharashtra's Dairy Sector:
Tradition, Transformation,
and the Road Ahead
by DAIRY DIMENSION
A State at the Heart of India's Dairy Economy
Maharashtra, often celebrated as India's sugar bowl, is
equally a powerhouse in dairy. Contributing over 16
million tonnes of milk annually, the state accounts for
around 6–7% of India's total milk production. From the
bustling markets of Mumbai and Pune to the drought- milk, ghee, curd, paneer, and increasingly, value-added
prone districts of Marathwada,milk is more than a
staple—it's a lifeline.
The state's dairy architecture rests on a dual foundation:
farmer-owned cooperatives on one side, and dynamic
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COVER STORY | Volume 1 | Issue 5 | July-Agu 2025
Leading Milk Processing States in India
14.5 Maharashtra Milk Production (million tonnes)
14 12.5 11.0 10.5 16
Milk Processing Capacity (Million Litres/Day) 10 9.0 8.0 Milk Production (million tonnes) 15
12
8
14
6
13
4
0 2 12 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Uttar Rajasthan Madhya Gujarat Maharashtra Bihar Year
Pradesh Pradesh Source: JORDBRUKARE
Source: NDDB
seasons (September–March) bring surpluses, while lean Chitale, and Sonai—demonstrate how different models,
summers strain supply. The intensifying impact of grounded in cooperativism, technology, and industrial
climate change—drought one year, floods the scale, are navigating Maharashtra's dairy
next—demands a forward-looking approach to
procurement, feed security, and processing transformation. The following story presents insights
infrastructure. from one-on-one interactions with three industry
leaders, each offering a unique perspective.
It is against this backdrop that three institutions—Gokul,
Gokul (Kolhapur District
Cooperative Milk Producers
Union Ltd): A Cooperative
that Built Rural Resilience
Founded in 1963, Gokul Dairy
has become a hallmark of cooperative strength in
western Maharashtra. Today, it handles an average of
1.6 million litres of milk daily, scaling up to 1.8 million
litres in the flush season. Through a network of 7,000+
village societies, Gokul serves over 500,000 farmers and
commands an impressive 86% market share in the
Kolhapur district.Gokul was among the early adopters
of the Ethno-Veterinary project, which has benefited
over 93,000 farmers by improving animal immunity,
reducing dependence on antibiotics, increasing milk
yield, and ensuring safer milk production. Additional
services include deworming camps, vaccination drives,
free infertility camps, animal nutrition programs, and
calf-rearing schemes—creating an ecosystem where
private players on the other. Together, they form a farmers receive consistent and reliable
supply chain that links millions of smallholder farmers support.Notably, Gokul has pioneered climate-smart
with urban consumers. Each dawn, tankers of chilled practices, such as establishing Maharashtra’s first
milk travel from rural chilling centres to processing fodder bank and installing over 7,000 biogas Dr. Yogesh Godbole, MD, Gokul
plants, before arriving at city doorsteps in the form of units—reducing per-unit installation costs from INR
43,000 to INR 5,000 through subsidies. It also operates butter, dahi, paneer, shrikhand, and the iconic
products. a 6.5 MW solar power plant that supplies energy for its Kolhapuri pedha. With an annual turnover nearing INR
Yet, this success is not without its challenges. Seasonal operations. Another key innovation is the slurry project, 40 billion (~USD 480 million), Gokul exemplifies what’s
swings, erratic monsoons, and fodder scarcity frequently which produces organic fertilizers.Gokul’s product possible when professional management is paired with
farmer-first governance.
test the resilience of Maharashtra's dairies. Flush portfolio balances staples with tradition, offering ghee,
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