Milma chairman represents Indian dairy farmers at Paris meet

Noting the immense contribution of the cooperative model to India’s rise as the world’s largest milk producer, Milma chairman K.S. Mani made a strong pitch at the World Dairy Summit in Paris for adoption of sustainable and smart practices to turn the global challenges faced by the dairy sector into opportunities.

Mr. Mani, who is also the director of National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India (NCDFI), was the sole representative of Indian dairy farmers at the October 15 to 18 summit organised by International Dairy Federation (IDF), a press release stated on Thursday.

National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) chairman Meenesh C. Shah was also among those who represented India at the summit, which took on strategic significance given the critical challenges faced by the dairy sector world over, including climate change, rising raw material costs and depletion of natural resources.

Speaking on Indian Dairy Scenario at the Farmers’ Round Table, Mr. Mani highlighted the country’s vast export potential, especially for value-added products. While new farms in India may face some challenges arising from issues like climate change, the vast domestic market and export potential present significant opportunities for further growth and success, he said.

Export of value-added dairy products needs to be ramped up by tapping into the government programmes like the Dairy processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) and reaching out to new markets like Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, he added. Labour shortages and technology solutions, climate change and sustainability and opportunities and challenges in the dairy sector, were among the core themes of conversations at the meet, which saw the convergence of stakeholders of dairy sector from around the world.

While labour shortages are not as pronounced in India compared to developed countries, Mr. Mani, chairman of Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), stressed the importance of attracting younger farmers and skilled workers to sustain growth. He noted that smallholders in India, who account for nearly 80 per cent of the country’s dairy sector, have already started adopting automation and digital tools to reduce labour demands.

Although climate change presents challenges for the Indian dairy sector, smallholder farmers have started adopting sustainable practices to address these issues while continuing to support rural livelihoods. “India’s cattle feeding system is notably sustainable as it primarily utilises agricultural residues. By converting these materials, which otherwise go to waste, the system enhances resource efficiency and minimise waste”, said Mr. Mani, who has extensive hands-on experience as a farmer, entrepreneur and cooperator.