Page 11 - Dairy Dimension - July Aug 25
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| Volume 1 | Issue 5 | July-Agu 2025  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
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             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
 Maharashtra's Dairy Sector:   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
 Tradition, Transformation,   Kolhapur district.Gokul was among the early adopters
            of the Ethno-Veterinary project, which has benefited
            over 93,000 farmers by improving animal immunity,
 and the Road Ahead  reducing dependence on antibiotics, increasing milk
            yield, and ensuring safer milk production. Additional
            services include deworming camps, vaccination drives,
 by DAIRY DIMENSION   free infertility camps, animal nutrition programs, and
            calf-rearing schemes—creating an ecosystem where
 A State at the Heart of India's Dairy Economy  private players on the other. Together, they form a   farmers receive consistent and reliable

 Maharashtra, often celebrated as India's sugar bowl, is   supply chain that links millions of smallholder farmers   support.Notably, Gokul has pioneered climate-smart
 equally a powerhouse in dairy. Contributing over 16   with urban consumers. Each dawn, tankers of chilled   practices, such as establishing Maharashtra’s first
 million tonnes of milk annually, the state accounts for   milk travel from rural chilling centres to processing   fodder bank and installing over 7,000 biogas   Dr. Yogesh Godbole, MD, Gokul
 around 6–7% of India's total milk production. From the   plants, before arriving at city doorsteps in the form of   units—reducing per-unit installation costs from INR
 bustling markets of Mumbai and Pune to the drought-  milk, ghee, curd, paneer, and increasingly, value-added   43,000 to INR 5,000 through subsidies. It also operates   butter, dahi, paneer, shrikhand, and the iconic
 prone districts of Marathwada,milk is more than a   products.  a 6.5 MW solar power plant that supplies energy for its   Kolhapuri pedha. With an annual turnover nearing INR
 staple—it's a lifeline.  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
 The state's dairy architecture rests on a dual foundation:   swings, erratic monsoons, and fodder scarcity frequently   which produces organic fertilizers.Gokul’s product   possible when professional management is paired with
                                                               farmer-first governance.
 farmer-owned cooperatives on one side, and dynamic   test the resilience of Maharashtra's dairies. Flush   portfolio balances staples with tradition, offering ghee,


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