Lucknow, June 2025: In a landmark move to modernise the Indian dairy industry and uplift rural livelihoods, the Uttar Pradesh government has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). The agreement, executed through the Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Dairy Federation (PCDF), entrusts NDDB with the operation of three major dairy processing plants—in Kanpur, Gorakhpur, and Kannauj—as well as a central animal feed production plant in Ambedkarnagar.
The initiative aims to revitalise underused infrastructure and bring technical, operational, and marketing expertise to the forefront of UP’s dairy value chain.
🐄 Reviving a Neglected Sector
“Previous administrations neglected critical sectors like dairy, causing significant farmer losses. Today, through initiatives like this NDDB partnership, we are witnessing a massive revival driven by dairy cooperatives and professional management.”
— Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
“We are committed to creating a self-reliant, tech-equipped, and farmer-profitable dairy ecosystem. With NDDB’s intervention, we expect to set new benchmarks in efficiency, transparency, and professional governance.”
— Yogi Adityanath
The CM also cited the successful examples of Balinee Milk Producer Company in Jhansi, and cooperatives in Agra and Gorakhpur, highlighting how such models empower women and bring inclusive growth.
🏭 Infrastructure Reboot with NDDB Expertise
The Kanpur dairy plant, constructed at a cost of ₹160.84 crore, boasts a capacity of 4 lakh litres/day. The Gorakhpur (₹61.8 crore) and Kannauj (₹88 crore) plants can each handle 1 lakh litres per day. Although completed earlier, these units remained underutilised due to a lack of commercial buyers and high operational costs.
The Ambedkarnagar-based feed unit, built at ₹18.44 crore, produces 100 tonnes per day of bypass protein feed, supplying affordable cattle nutrition to farmers statewide. It’s projected to generate ₹66.88 lakh in profit this financial year.
“Handing operations to NDDB ensures timely farmer payments, strong participation from local dairy cooperatives, strategic resource use, reduced expenses, and robust equipment maintenance—all without additional financial burden on the government.”
— PCDF Official
📈 A Blueprint for National Replication
NDDB Chairman Dr. Meenesh Shah emphasised the long-term vision, linking it to the World Dairy Summit 2022, which was hosted in Noida.
“This MoU is more than just operations—it’s about creating model units that represent the future of India’s dairy sector: farmer-centric, efficient, and scalable.”
— Dr. Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB
👥 Expert Insight
“UP’s decision to integrate NDDB’s management marks a pivotal shift in Indian dairy strategy. It’s a clear push toward precision dairy farming, cost-effective production, and inclusive rural economics, especially through cooperative empowerment and gender inclusion.”
— Dr. Ravi Menon, Dairy Economist
