Page 27 - Dairy Dimension - July Aug 25
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| Volume 1 | Issue 5 | July-Agu 2025  INDIAN NEWS                               | Volume 1 | Issue 5 | July-Agu 2025


 Karnataka Milk Federation to   and private processors. For dairy professionals, the   productivity plateaus persist. By reducing reliance on   logistical complexities. Such a move would mark a
 projection reinforces the importance of moving beyond   expensive imported semen, the programme lowers   paradigm shift for Indian cooperatives, which
 Launch Lactose-Free and   volume-driven growth toward profitability-driven   barriers for small and marginal farmers, democratising   traditionally export from domestic plants. By producing
 strategies. Without stronger demand-side innovation,   access to superior germplasm. It also institutionalises   paneer, butter, and cheese within the U.S., Amul could
 Buffalo Milk  India risks repeating the cycle of overproduction and   farmer–university collaboration, combining scientific   gain tariff-free access, improve shelf-life, and align more
 suppressed margins that has characterised several past   rigour with farmer networks. For dairy professionals, the   closely with consumer expectations for freshness. This
 The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), a dairy cooperative   years.  MoU signals a future where productivity gains will   strategy mirrors the playbook of global majors like
 second in scale only to Amul, is diversifying its portfolio   increasingly depend on genetic improvement, not just   Nestlé and Arla, which have localised production in
 to capture premium consumer segments. Plans are   FMD Outbreak in Ludhiana   feed or management interventions. It also highlights the   multiple markets. For Amul, the overseas push reflects
 underway to launch lactose-free milk under the Nandini   need for structured progeny testing and farmer   both opportunity and necessity: Indian dairy exports are
 brand — a strategic response to rising urban demand for   Dairy Complex  education on genetics. If executed effectively, this   constrained by high logistics costs and volatile tariff
 functional dairy products catering to health-conscious   partnership could be a model replicated across India,   regimes, while demand for ethnic dairy products like
 and lactose-intolerant consumers. Southern India has   The recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in   blending cooperative farmer strength with institutional   paneer is rising in the U.S. diaspora. For dairy
 already seen early movers such as Milky Mist   Ludhiana's Haibowal dairy complex has sounded an   science for long-term productivity sustainability.  professionals, the development signals the beginning of
 successfully market lactose-free offerings, highlighting   alarm across Punjab's dairy community. As one of India's   a more outward-looking phase for Indian cooperatives. It
 the opportunity size. Simultaneously, KMF is scaling up   largest urban dairy hubs, the complex houses thousands   U.S. Tariffs Create   raises strategic questions: How will Amul balance
 buffalo milk procurement, particularly in North   of animals in dense proximity — making biosecurity   farmer-centric domestic commitments with global
 Karnataka, where demand is surging thanks to buffalo   lapses particularly costly. Farmers reported panic as   Uncertainty for Indian Dairy   expansion? Will other cooperatives follow suit? If
 milk's higher fat content, its preference in traditional   cattle exhibited symptoms, with concerns about   successful, this could reshape India's dairy export
 sweets, and its premium positioning for paneer   productivity losses, animal health, and income shocks.   Exports  narrative from a commodity-driven story to a globalised
 production. This dual strategy reflects how cooperatives   Municipal authorities faced criticism for weak waste   The U.S. has imposed new tariff hikes on a range of   consumer-brand play.
 are evolving: beyond simply handling procurement   disposal and inadequate disease management. The   Indian exports, creating ripple effects for India's dairy
 volumes, they are beginning to design consumer-  outbreak is a stark reminder that even as Punjab invests   sector. While India exports relatively modest volumes of   Jaipur Dairy Opens  15-Crore
 oriented portfolios that align with lifestyle trends and   in genetics and productivity, the foundations of disease   dairy to the U.S., value-added categories such as paneer,
 nutritional preferences. For dairy professionals, the   surveillance and veterinary infrastructure remain fragile.   ghee, and milk protein ingredients are particularly   Sweets Plant with SCADA
 move underscores an emerging playbook where   For cooperatives and policymakers, FMD is not only a   vulnerable. These tariffs could dampen competitiveness,
 cooperatives must safeguard farmer payouts while   farmer issue — it directly threatens milk supply   especially against established exporters like New   Automation
 capturing new consumer niches, using innovation and   continuity, processing plant utilisation, and consumer   Zealand and the EU, who already enjoy preferential   Jaipur Dairy, under the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy
 product differentiation as competitive levers. The   confidence in milk safety. For dairy professionals, this   access under trade agreements. For Indian cooperatives   Federation (RCDF), has commissioned a new  15-crore
 success of KMF's initiative could set a benchmark for   incident highlights the urgent need to integrate   and private processors with export ambitions, the   sweets production facility, equipped with Supervisory
 other cooperatives balancing commodity oversupply   systematic vaccination drives with modern biosecurity   development highlights the fragility of relying on tariff-  Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) automation. The
 (like SMP) with higher-value downstream products.  protocols: digital livestock traceability, quarantine
 measures, and waste management systems. The   dependent markets. Analysts note that Indian exporters   facility will produce Saras-branded sweets, marking the
 India Ratings Projects 5%   economic cost of such outbreaks — lower yields,   may need to redirect focus toward the Middle East and   cooperative's entry into the branded Indian
                                                               confectionery space. This expansion is not merely
          Asia, where demand for Indian dairy fats remains strong
 Growth in Milk Output  treatment expenses, and reduced market access — far   and tariff barriers are lower. For dairy professionals, the   diversification; it's a financial necessity in today's
 outweighs the preventive investment. Punjab's FMD
 flare-up is therefore a timely warning to strengthen the   episode illustrates a larger lesson: global trade is shaped   cooperative landscape. With India's milk surplus leading
 India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) forecasts India's milk   weakest links in India's dairy chain.  as much by geopolitics as by market fundamentals.   to excess skimmed milk powder (SMP), many
 production to grow by around 5% in FY25, reinforcing   Exporters will need to adopt more sophisticated   cooperatives are struggling to convert low-margin
 the country's position as the world's largest milk   Punjab Pushes Genetics with   strategies, including exploring overseas manufacturing   commodities into profitable formats. By channeling
 producer. The report highlights resilience among   bases, investing in tariff-resilient value chains, and   surplus into sweets, Jaipur Dairy creates a high-demand
 smallholder farmers, favourable policy interventions,   GADVASU–PDFA MoU  lobbying for favourable trade deals. The tariff hikes,   outlet that aligns with cultural consumption patterns,
 and ongoing investments in chilling and processing   although not catastrophic for volumes, highlight the   particularly around festivals. SCADA-based automation
 infrastructure. Per capita milk availability is expected to   Punjab, India's high-yield milk state, is turning its   necessity of long-term trade diversification and   ensures hygienic, standardised production, addressing
 rise by 4%, supported by stable population growth and   attention to genetic improvement to sustain productivity   resilience in India's export strategy.  consumer concerns about quality and safety in mithai
 consistent productivity improvements. The analysis   growth. Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences   markets often dominated by unorganised players. RCDF,
 underlines dairy's central role in rural livelihoods,   University (GADVASU) has partnered with the   Amul Explores Overseas   one of India's largest SMP producers, benefits doubly:
 particularly for women and marginal farmers, where   Progressive Dairy Farmers' Association (PDFA) to   reducing oversupply pressure while elevating brand
 milk sales often serve as supplementary income. For the   establish a breeding programme focused on Holstein   Production to Circumvent   Saras into a trusted name for premium, hygienic sweets.
 industry, rising supply creates both opportunities and   Friesian and Jersey calves from elite herds. Selected male   Tariffs  For professionals, this represents a textbook case of
 challenges. While demand for fresh liquid milk remains   calves will contribute to a structured semen bank,   downstream integration and value-added product
 steady, the bigger question is how to absorb surpluses   providing affordable, high-quality genetics to farmers   Amul, India's largest dairy brand, is reportedly exploring   innovation. It also reinforces how Indian cooperatives
 of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and fats. This creates an   across the state. This initiative is crucial: while Punjab   setting up manufacturing facilities overseas, particularly   are shifting from being milk processors to branded food
 urgent need for value-added products, diversified   boasts among the highest per-animal milk yields,   in the U.S., to mitigate the impact of tariff barriers and   companies, using technology and product innovation to
 exports, and better integration between cooperatives   concerns about rising herd health costs, inbreeding, and   build resilience in volatile milk markets.


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