Milk is number one crop with more value than wheat, rice

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) It is not wheat or rice and any other crop in India having more production and worth than milk with an output touching 100 million tonnes (MT) valued at Rs 2,27,340 crore.

Even as India is the largest producer of milk in the world, the diary industry is not considered as 'glamourous' and viewed as a 'subsidary activity' by the policy makers, says a book, 'Dairy India' authored by Mr Sharad Gupta.

''Besides being a source of liquidity and insurance against crop failure, milk is the only crop where the farmer realises 60-70 per cent of consumers price -- against 20 per cent or so in fruits and vegetables,'' added the book.

The book released by Ms Charusheela Sohoni, Secretary Animal Husbandary says that it is striking that there is no commodity future in milk powder or ghee even as their production is estimated at Rs 4,680 crore and Rs 770 crore, besides cheese valued at Rs 975 crore.

Of the total milk production, 77 per cent is being sold as liquid milk with balance 23 per cent converted into products.

However, organised industry handles only 18 per cent of milk, with 36 per cent bieng hanlded by private venders or unorganised players and 46 per cent is retained in rural areas. Within 18 per cent organised sector share, private and cooperative/government dairies hanlde equal around 8.5 MT each.

Replete with up-to-date statistics, the book projects that by 2011, dairy industry will grow double to Rs 5,20,780 crore with liquid milk share of Rs 1,59,600 crore, ghee of Rs 42,680 crore, khoa/paneer/chhana of Rs 9,100 crore, powder of Rs 2,250 crore and cheese of Rs 25,050 crore.

The present edition of Dairy India is the sixth, starting with the first one launched and conceived by late P R Gupta in 1983.

UNI